Nahj al-Balagha Hadith n. 265

Selections from The Sayings and Preaching of Amir al-Muminin Ali ibn Abi Talib (Peace Be Upon Him) Including His Replies to Questions and Maxims Expressed for Various Purposes.
Translated by Sayyid Ali Reza

وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام):

Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:

إِنَّ كَلاَمَ الْحُكَمَاءِ إذَا كَانَ صَوَاباً كَانَ دَوَاءً،

When the utterance of the wise is to the point it serves as a cure,

وَإِذَا كَانَ خَطَأً كَانَ دَاءً.

but if it is wrong it proves like an illness. 68

 

68. The group of the learned and reformers is responsible for improvement as well as deterioration because the common people are under their influence, and regard their words and action as correct and standard, rely on them and act upon them. In this way, If their teaching caters for improvement then thousands of individuals will acquire improvement and betterment thereby; but if there be evil in it then thousands of individuals will get involved in misguidance and get astrayed. That is why it is said: "When a scholar gets into evil the whole world gets into evil."