Chapter on Miscellaneous Issues

4. Ali ibn Muhammad from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘ari from ‘Abdallah ibn Maymun al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abdallah عليه السلام from his ancestors (the Imams عليه السلام who has said the following. “Once a man came to the holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and said, ‘O messenger of Allah what is knowledge?’ The holy Prophet replied, “It is silence.” The man then asked, “Then what?” The holy Prophet said, “It is listening.” The man asked, “Then what?” The holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم said, “Then it is memorizing.” The man asked, “Then what?” The holy Prophet said, “Then it is practice accordingly.” The man then asked, “Then what O messenger of Allah?” The holy Prophet said, “Then it is to propagate what one has learned.”