100 Principles for Purposeful Living

10. Non-Beneficial Knowledge One of the supplications of the Prophet of Islam was: “O God, save me from such knowledge as is not beneficial (Allahumma inni aauzu bika min ilmin la yanfa).” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2722) Real knowledge is beneficial to humanity. On the other hand, the knowledge that is not beneficial to humanity is not a desired piece of knowledge. Making efforts to gain such knowledge is completely a waste of time. 11. A Developed Personality The Quran likens a true man to a plant. (The Quran, 14:24-25) Just as a plant grows into a tree, so does a person’s personality grow like a lush tree, until it becomes a developed personality. Physically, man is born as an infant and then grows into a full man. If man’s thought process continues healthily, the human mind would reach the stage of development in the same way as does its body. This thought process naturally runs through every human being. All one has to do is protect oneself from the things that hinder his thought process. An unobstructed thought process continues to flow like a spring that sprouts fresh water. 12. Ask Someone Who Knows The Quran states: If you do not know, then ask the one who knows. (16:43) That is, if you do not know something, then consult with those who do. People do not usually like to ask. They think that asking is like admitting one’s intellectual