"A Little Knowledge is a Dangerous Thing": Nasir-i Khusraw on Learning

Nāṣir-i Khusraw's warning about unguided opinions, confused thoughts and spiritual impurities

In his masterpiece of ta’wīl (esoteric hermeneutics), Wajh-i Dīn (The Face of Religion), Ḥakīm Nāṣir-i Khusraw warned about the dangers of simply making up one's own opinions or knowledge based on one's whims without true guidance, as it leads to corrupt and baseless thoughts, confusion and spiritual or intellectual impurities. He writes:

The souls of the mustajībs (those who want to know and learn) are prepared to receive knowledge that is given to them, whether it be true or false. Their readiness is due to their formlessness, which is ignorance. When they themselves do not know and cannot find someone to teach them, they want to make a form by themselves and entrust the enquiring soul with this task. [As a result,] confused thoughts gather in them.

Since they have not heard true knowledge, they cannot provide a correct explanation to those thoughts. They are thus, not formed, rather they are confused. Such corrupt and baseless thoughts of mustajībs…that arise from the mustajīb’s own self are impure.

…until the mustajībs are delivered from confused thoughts and their whims vanish, it is not permissible for them to intend to attend [the majlis or higher wisdom session of] the da‘wat [i.e. the Ismaili esoteric teaching mission]. In fact, they cannot seek help from someone until they despair of themselves, which is a sign of their becoming cleansed of spiritual [impurities].

…when the mustajībs receive the [Ismaili] dā‘ī’s discourse, [it has an exoteric form known as the] ẓāhir and a meaning [known as the bāṭin]…when both [i.e. the word and the meaning] are internalised by the mustajībs’ souls, their thoughts in the ẓāhir and bāṭin become the capital to work with, through which the form emerges and various forms [of knowledge] materialise. The little substance of ta’wīl that they have received apparently accepts their thoughts, so that one day their spiritual forms may become complete among those thoughts

When those Muslims who had doubts and ambiguities despair of themselves, i.e. they accept that their knowledge is incorrect, this will be their cleansing from spiritual [impurities]. It then becomes obligatory for them to come to the wise one and accept his covenant.

The believers must reflect upon this.

Peace!

Translated by Faquir Muhammad Hunzai from Sayyidnā Nāṣir-i Khusraw, Wajh-i Dīn, Discourse 37

Artistic depiction of Ḥakīm Naṣīr Khusraw. Photo: AkimArt