1. It is narrated by Bandagi Miyan Shah Ni'mat (RZ) that he requested Imam Mahdi (AS) to permit him to read (and learn). Imam Mahdi (AS) disallowed reading and said: "You would not have accepted the Mahdiat of this servant (of Allah), if you were learned."

2. It is narrated that one of the brothers asked Imam Mahdi (AS) "Miranjeo! I will read something during siesta time, if permitted". Imam Mahdi (AS) said: "Do not read even then. Sleep".

3. It is narrated that Malik Bakhkhan (RZ) asked Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir (RZ): "So- and-so reads Quran very much. Does it give any benefit?" In reply Bandagi Miyan said: "If the Quran is read even in the way, it should be read, it creates a veil of light (noor) between Allah an His servant. But, by the remembrances (zikr) of Allah, even the veil of light is torn."

4. Prophet Isa (AS) (Jesus) said: "I did not become helpless in resurrecting a dead person, but I am helpless in healing a fool (ahmaq). A fool is one who is engaged for a short period of time in learning."

5. It is narrated by Malikjeo bin Barkhurdar (RZ) that a certain person from Khorasan told Imam Mahdi (AS) that his companions did not know how to do their prayers. Imam Mahdi (AS) rebuked his companions: "You have grown such (long) beards and do not know how to say your prayers! Learn it from others among yourselves." Later, the same person from Khorasan remarked in the presence of Imam Mahdi (AS) "What (kind of) prayers do these people say!" In reply the Imam said: "You too say your prayers in the manner these people say."

6. It is narrated by Bandagi Miyan Larh Shah (RZ) that Imam Mahdi (AS) said: "Essential knowledge is needed so that the rites of the religion of Prophet Muhammad (SLM) like namaz, fasting and others are properly performed."

7. Imam Mahdi (AS) has said that "the light (noor) of faith (iman) is enough to understand the meaning of Quran, when it is explained."

8. It is narrated that Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood (RZ) was reading Tamheed, a book. Imam Mahdi (AS) asked him: "What are you reading?" Bandagi Miran said "Tamheed." Imam Mahdi (AS) instructed him: "Give it up. Try to perform zikr, so that a condition (halat) comes about when you can understand Tamheed."

9. It is narrated that when Bandagi Miran Syed Mahmood (RZ) used to go to the street of Miyan Abu Bakr and Miyan Syed Salamullah (RZ) for zikr, the two respected elders (buzurgan) urged him to learn (ilm). Miran Syed Mahmood (RZ) informed Imam Mahdi (AS) about the urgings (to learn). Imam Mahdi (AS) instructed him: "Do not go to their street and remain in the remembrance of Allah, so that the subliminal self (batin) opens (to the divine secrets.")

10. It is narrated by Miyan Abdul Fatah (RZ) that, at Naharvala, Imam Mahdi (AS), seeing a book in Bandagi Miyan Shah Nizam's hands, asked: "Miyan Nizam! What are you reading?" The Shah said: "Miranjeo, I am reading Meezan." Imam Mahdi (AS) took away the book from Shah Nizam (RZ) and said: "Do not read it." Some days later, when they had reached Nagaur, the Shah took the book again in his hands. Again Imam Mahdi (AS) disallowed the reading. When Imam Mahdi (AS) embarked on his long journey to Khorasan, the Shah gave up all hope to read. A long time afterwards, Imam Mahdi (AS) asked the Shah to read some (books on) Hadith. That meant that the Shah had become perfect and reading (at that stage) would not harm him.

11. It is narrated that Allah had granted such manifest knowledge (ilm-e-zahir) to Imam Mahdi (AS) that the ulema of the manifest knowledge gave him the title Asad-al-Ulama (Lion among the Learned), before the Imam (AS) announced his claim to be Mahdi al-Mau'ood (AS).

12. It is narrated that, after announcing his claim to be Imam Mahdi (AS), the Imam respectfully asked Allah: "You have bestowed upon me such great hidden knowledge (ilm-e-batin) after my claim to be Mahdi. What was the objective of granting manifest knowledge (ilm-e-zahir)?" Allah said: "We did so to give hujjat (final argument) to the people, so that the ulema of the manifest knowledge too are obligated (mulzim)."

13. It is narrated that Imam Mahdi (AS) said that if a person is ummi (illiterate), ilm-e-ladunni (God-inspired knowledge) is granted to him by Allah. Or Allah makes him an ummi and then ilm-e-ladunni is granted to him.

14. Imam Mahdi (AS) has been quoted in a narration as saying that Allah had made him forget all the manifest knowledge, he had learnt before his claim to be Mahdi, and then ilm-e-batin (hidden knowledge) was granted to him.

15. It is narrated that Imam Mahdi (AS) said that ilm-e-batin is not bestowed upon a person, who is educated (ghair ummi), by Allah. Either the person is a genuine illiterate or he is made an illiterate. A person, thus artificially made illiterate, is one who is made to forget all the knowledge, that is usually acquired by the ulema. He is called a ja'li ummi. After that the ilm-e-batin is bestowed upon him by Allah. Allah has said: "...The erudite among His bondsmen fear Allah alone..." (S. 35 : 28 MMP) And Allah further says: "And whoso doeth good an atom's weight Allah will see it, And whoso doeth ill an atom's weight Allah will see it" (S. 99 : 7 and 8)

16. It is reported that a person heard this Quranic Verse from Prophet Muhammad (SLM) and said: "It is enough for me. I do not need to listen to any second Verse." In other words, (he said) "I have no fear if I do not know anything more."

17. It is also said that a person came to Prophet Muhammad (SLM) .The Prophet told Hazrat Ali (RZ) to teach Quran to that person. Hazrat Ali (RZ) taught him the Quranic chapter, The Earthquake. He said: "It is enough. I have learnt Quran." Prophet Muhammad (SLM) said: "Leave him." Hence, he became an alim (learned scholar).

18. Prophet Muhammad (SLM) is quoted as saying: "A drop had been dropped in my mouth. From that I was given the knowledge of the first and the last things. This knowledge should enlighten you and may you reach that position." Allah says: "So they found one of our servants, on whom we had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom we had taught knowledge from our own Presence." (S. 18 65 AYA). May you reach the position, described in this Quranic Verse.

19. Prophet Muhammad (SLM) has said: "Some of the branches of knowledge are in a hidden state. None other than the scholars, who have learned from Allah (ulama-e-Billah), know them. This knowledge is called hidden knowledge (ilm-e-batin). It is the knowledge of Allah. It is hidden from all the created beings (makhluq). This knowledge is taught by Allah."

20. Prophet Muhammad (SLM) has said: "My Lord has taught me etiquette and good manners and respect (adb) and he has taught me well. (He also taught me) the secrets of the Book." Allah has said in Quran: "(Allah) Most Gracious! It is He Who has taught the Quran. He has created man: He has taught him speech (and intelligence)." (S.55 : 1 to 4 AYA) Here 'man' (insan) refers to Imam Mahdi's zath (essence). Whatever Imam Mahdi (AS) has explained in accordance with the commands of Allah is the secret of this Book (Quran) and this secret was divulged by the words of Imam Mahdi's (AS) mouth.

21. Imam Mahdi (AS) is quoted in a narration as saying that "Whoever is ummi (uneducated), his heart is clean like a (writing) board or tablet. There is nothing written on this heart. Whatever he hears, gets engraved on his heart."

22. And further, Imam Mahdi (AS) is quoted as saying: "The heart of the person, who sees black (ink) too much, becomes black." Allah says (in Quran): "It is He Who hath sent to the folk unacquainted with the Scriptures (revealed before) an apostle from among them to rehearse His Revelations to them and purify them (their lives), and to afford them a knowledge of the Book (the Quran) and the purpose underlying it; for they were aforetime certainly in manifest error, And (rehearse to) others among them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Mighty, the Wise. This (the sending of an apostle to them) is the grace of Allah: He grants it to whom He will. Indeed Allah is immensely graceful" (S. 65 : 2 to 4 SAL).

23. It is narrated by Miyan Nizam Ghalib (RZ) that, in Khorasan, the rooms of Miyan Malik Ma'roof and Miyan Nizam Ghalib (RZ) were adjacent to each other. Miyan Malik Ma'roof (RZ) asked Miyan Nizam Ghalib (RZ) if he knew any reading. Miyan Nizam Ghalib (RZ) said that he knew a little. Malik Ma'roof (RZ) then asked him to read something (after the preoccupation of remembrance of Allah--zikr). "Why not!" replied Miyan Nizam Ghalib (RZ). Then Miyan Ma'roof (RZ) said: "We will ask Imam Mahdi (AS), since he has instructed us to seek his permission before doing anything." Both went to the Imam (AS). Imam Mahdi (AS) was alone. Even before the two could ask for his permission, the Imam (AS) recited a quartet, which said:

Ask for the knowledge that shall remain with you/
The breath that liberates you from your self/
Till you read the knowledge of (your) duties
(in accordance with the commandments of Allah)/
Verily, you will never know the Attributes of (Ultimate) Truth (that is Allah).

24. Further, Imam Mahdi (AS) is quoted as having said that the person, who reads much, is humiliated much, and demands the world; and he who does not demand the world, becomes profusely proud. The Imam said after this: "Do what this servant (of Allah) asks you to do." In other words, He said "Remember Allah (zikr), so that you achieve the vision of Allah."

25. Prophet Muhammad (SLM) has said: "The children of my ummah (group of followers) during the Last Era (Aakhir zamana) will suffer calamity inflicted by their parents." The companions asked: "Would they be suffering at the hands of their polytheist parents?" The Prophet said: "No. At the hands of their mumin (believer) parents. They will acquire knowledge and when their children begin to learn, they will forbid them (children) to learn the knowledge of the religion. They will not be content with anything other than the worldly goods and chattels, and when their worldly lives become comfortable, they would not care for what happens to the children in their life in the Hereafter. They are alienated from me and I am disgusted with them, unless they repent (tauba)."

26. And it is said in Hadith that the superiority of an 'alim (learned man) over an abid (worshipper) is like the Prophet's superiority over his ummah. The reference here is not to the knowledge of selling and buying, marriage and divorce, freeing of the slaves etc. The reference is to the knowledge from Allah, or given by Allah, and the strength of certainty (yaqin). Sometimes a servant (of Allah) becomes a learned man of knowledge from Allah ('alim billah) and a perfect man of certainty but he may not know a fa (RZ)-kifaya (conditional obligation: if one person performs it, it is deemed to have been performed by a group of which he is a member). The companions of Prophet Muhammad (SLM) were well versed in the realities of religion and the subtleties of gnosis (knowledge of spiritual Mysteries or ma'rifat) than the ulema of the later generations. Shaikh Hameeduddin Nagauri Soofi says in one of his quartets:

Do not engage yourself in grammer and philology/
Go and learn the knowledge of Allah; you achieve nothing from grammar and philology/
Tomorrow, (they) will demand from you the knowledge
of gnosis; what will you say in reply?/
Whether you become misled or a wanderer (Whatever
good we had to say, We have said).
Break your pen, burn the sheets, throw away the ink,
choke yourself, O Hameed, this is the story of love and devotion, it cannot be confined in a book, however large it might be.
The hair of your head have become white like snow in
acquiring the knowledge of grammar and philology/
You cannot know a single letter of what is divine knowledge/
O foolish scholar, how many books would you read?/
I know that you do not know the letter that is beneficial to you/
O foolish scholar, you are proud of your knowledge/
You are not near the Truth, the truth is that you are far away from the Truth.
As long as you do not create the love of the Unity (of Allah)/
You will not be able to identify Allah with the treasure (that you have of Kanz and Quduri).
When your knowledge is (far) away from your deeds /
Islam is rare in your city/
Do not become proud of your knowledge and deeds/ Consider everything you have as dust scattered/
All your knowledge is indulgence and pretence/
This pretence will become your shakles.

27. It is narrated by Qazi Qadan (RZ) that one day he was reading a tafseer (commentary of Quran). All of a sudden Imam Mahdi (AS) came near him and asked: "What are you reading?" Thr Qazi said he was reading tafseer. The Imam said: "The person who reads tafseer, does not see Allah."

QUARTET:
You say you will search (with the help of ) knowledge and wisdom/
You are a greedy person, what should I tell you?/
Where there is room for such things/
These two (the knowledge and wisdom) have become a big veil.

28. The philosophers have said that knowledge is a great veil (between Allah and His servant). And it is said in Kafi (a book) that knowledge is bad and ignorance is good. In other words, hypocrisy and debate is bad. If a person reads and does not remember Allah; this is an innovation and going astray.

29. It is narrated that when a seeker of Allah used to begin reading and writing, some of the companions of Imam Mahdi (AS) used to say that he was a hypocrite and was preparing provision (for a journey) to run away (from the daira).

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