Chapter on Meeting the Scholars and Associating with Them

قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ يَا بُنَيَّ اخْتَرِ الْمَجَالِسَ عَلَى عَيْنِكَ فَإِنْ رَأَيْتَ قَوْماً يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ فَاجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ فَإِنْ تَكُنْ عَالِماً نَفَعَكَ عِلْمُكَ وَ إِنْ تَكُنْ جَاهِلًا عَلَّمُوكَ وَ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُظِلَّهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ فَيَعُمَّكَ مَعَهُمْ وَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَ قَوْماً لَا يَذْكُرُونَ اللَّهَ فَلَا تَجْلِسْ مَعَهُمْ فَإِنْ تَكُنْ عَالِماً لَمْ يَنْفَعْكَ عِلْمُكَ

Luqman (the wise) said to his son, “O my son, choose your gatherings wisely. If you see a group remembering Allah (swt), then sit with them. If you are knowledgeable, your knowledge will benefit you, and if you are ignorant, they will teach you. Perhaps Allah, by His mercy, will envelop them, and you will be included w

مُحَادَثَةُ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْمَزَابِلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُحَادَثَةِ الْجَاهِلِ عَلَى الزَّرَابِيِ‌[1].

“Speaking to a scholar even at a dump-site is better than speaking to an ignorant person at a best furnished palace.”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ قَالَتِ الْحَوَارِيُّونَ لِعِيسَى يَا رُوحَ اللَّهِ مَنْ نُجَالِسُ قَالَ مَنْ يُذَكِّرُكُمُ اللَّهَ رُؤْيَتُهُ وَ يَزِيدُ فِي عِلْمِكُمْ مَنْطِقُهُ وَ يُرَغِّبُكُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَمَلُهُ.

“The Holy Prophet said, ‘The disciples asked Jesus, ‘O the spirit of Allah who should we associate with?’ Jesus replied, “Associate with those whose visitation would remind you of Allah, whose speech and logic increase your knowledge and whose deeds would attract you to the next life.’”

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مُجَالَسَةُ أَهْلِ الدِّينِ شَرَفُ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ.

The Messenger of Allah (sw) said, "Association with religious people is an honour in this life as well as in the next life."

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَمَجْلِسٌ أَجْلِسُهُ إِلَى مَنْ أَثِقُ بِهِ أَوْثَقُ فِي نَفْسِي مِنْ عَمَلِ سَنَةٍ.

‘The place where I may sit with one who I trust is more comforting to my soul than working for one whole year.’”