Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Translator's Introduction
Prologue
Chapter One: Attesting to God's Oneness is One of the Greatest Benefits of Being Knowledgeable
Chapter Two: The Importance of Having Knowledge of the Qur'an, the Sunna and Wisdom, and then Teaching them
Chapter Three: The Superiority of the Scholar over the Worshipper and that the Former are the True Heirs of the Prophets
Chapter Four: The Most Eminent Types of Knowledge are Those which Concern God, His Names and His Attributes
Chapter Five: An Exposition on the Question: Does Knowledge Inevitably Lead to Guidance or is Ignorance the Only Reason that Many Do not Become Believers?
Chapter Six: Knowledge Leads to Spiritual Bliss and Elevates One's Rank
Chapter Seven: Knowledge Allows One to Protect Oneself from Doubts, Temptations and Evil
Chapter Eight: The Superiority of Knowledge over Waging Battle for His Sake and over Supererogatory Deeds
Chapter Nine: An Exposition of a Tradition by 'Ali Discussing the Characteristics of the True Scholars and Students of Knowledge
Chapter Ten: Knowledge is Essential to Attaining Certainty and to Calling to God
Chapter Eleven: God Commended Muhammad, Abraham, the Messiah and many other Prophets due to their Knowledge
Chapter Twelve: The Importance of Contemplation and Reflection
Bibliography
Index

About the Author

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (d. 751/1350) was born near Damascus where he obtained a classical Islamic education and specialised in jurisprudence. He met the Hanbalite reformer Ibn Taymiyya and remained his disciple until the latter's death. Among his other works translated by the Islamic Texts Society are Medicine of the Prophet, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya The Invocation of God and Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya on Divine Wisdom and the Problem of Evil.