Do Not Acquire Knowledge For Mutual Rivalry

 

Imaam Ibn Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Allaah said: “Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you until you visit the graveyards. No! You are going to know. Then no! You are going to know.”  [Soorah At-Takaathur: 1-4]. There is mutual rivalry in everything. So whoever is distracted by mutual rivalry for any worldly thing and becomes diverted from Allah and the abode of the Hereafter is included in the ruling of this verse.  There are some among the people that mutual rivalry for wealth diverts from their [Lord].

However, for some others; mutual rivalry for status or knowledge diverts them. So, they combine between mutual rivalry for knowledge and pride. This person is the worst in condition before Allaah than the one who is distracted by mutual rivalry for wealth and status. This is because the former employed the means of the Hereafter for the world while the companion of wealth and status employed the means of the world for it and does mutual rivalry with its means.

Source: ‘Uddah as-Saabireen wa Dhakheerah ash-Shaakireen, by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah; translated by Abdus-Samee Abdus-Salaam.