Principle 9 — Knowledge for the Sake of Knowledge

The Prophet of Islam once observed: “Acquire knowledge from the cradle to the grave.” (Tarikh Irbal, Vol. 1, p. 7) We learn from this saying that knowledge is not of a temporary benefit, but rather it is a permanent process that continues from the beginning until the end of life. Therefore, knowledge is desirable in itself. The real purpose of knowledge is to build a human personality. This is not a temporary job; it is an ongoing process that continues in every situation and every place. There is no end to the development of the human personality, therefore, the process of one’s education and training also goes on throughout a person’s life. The mind should never become stagnant. Knowledge serves as food for the human personality. Just as the body shows signs of weakness without adequate food, the human personality without intellectual food will fall far short of perfection. Hence, such a weak personality cannot play a great role in this world.