150. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā – narrating from `Albā' ibn Ahmar: “Ali ibn Abi Tālib (a.s.) was addressing the people, saying: “Who would buy knowledge for one dirham?”
al-Hārith al-A`war (who was one-eyed) bought several sheets for one dirham and brought it to Ali (a.s.) and he wrote abundant issues of knowledge for him.
After that, Ali (a.s.) said in his sermon: “O people of Kufa! A half a man overcame you.”1
151. al-Ghārāt – narrating from Sālim ibn Abi Ja`d: “Ali (a.s.) allocated two thousand (coins) [as an income] for every reciter of the Qur'ān and my father was one of the reciters.”2
152. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah: “Ghālib ibn Sa`sa`a went to Ali (a.s.) together with his son, Farazdaq3 and Ali (a.s.) said to him: “Who are you?”
He replied. “Ghālib, the son of Sa`sa`a al-Mujāshi`i”
He (a.s.) said: “O Abu al-Akhtal! Who is this young man with you?”
He replied: “My son and he is a poet.”
He (a.s.) said: “Teach him the Qur'ān, for it is better for him than poetry.”4
153. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in his letter to `Utham ibn `Abbās, who was his administrator in Mecca, wrote: “Set up Hajj for the people and remind them of the days [to be devoted] to God. Sit for giving them audience in the morning and evening, explain the law to those who ask, teach the ignorant and discuss with the learned.”5
154. Imām Ali (a.s.) – in response to someone who had asked him a difficult question: “Ask me for understanding and do not ask to create confusion [for fault finding], because the ignorant person who tries to learn is like the learned man, but the learned man who tries to create confusion is like the ignorant.”6
1.. al-Tabaqāt al-Kubrā, vol. ۶, p. ۱۶۸,
2.. al-Ghārāt, vol. ۱, p. ۱۳۱, Kanz al-`Ummāl, vol. ۲, p. ۳۳۹, h. ۴۱۸۶.
3.He is Abu Farās Humām ibn Ghālib, known as Farazdaq. He was born in ۲۵ AH in Basra and died in ۱۱۴. The following poem that he wrote in praise of al-Imām al-Sajjād in the presence of Hishām ibn `Abd al-Malik is a an evidence of his bravery:
“This is the person whom the land of Bathā knows,
And the Ka`ba and the Haram know him too.”
4.. Sharh Nahj al-Balāghah, vol. ۱۰, p. ۲۱, Kanz al-`Ummāl, vol. ۲, p. ۲۸۸, h. ۴۰۲۶.
5.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Letter ۶۷, Bihār al-Anwār, vol. ۳۳, p. ۴۹۷, h. ۷۰۲.
6.. Nahj al-Balāghah, Aphorism ۳۲۰, `Uyun al-Hikam wa al-Mawā`iz, p. ۱۳۲, h. ۲۹۸۰.
