قَالَ عليه السلام لِسَائِلٍ سَأَلَهُ عَنْ مُعْضِلَةٍ:
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, replied to a man who had asked him a difficult question:
سَلْ تَفَقُّهاً
Ask me in order to gain understanding
وَ لَا تَسْأَلْ تَعَنُّتاً
but do not ask me seeking to create confusion,
فَإِنَّ الْجَاهِلَ الْمُتَعَلِّمَ
because the ignorant person who tries to learn
شَبِيهٌ بِالْعَالِمِ
is like the learned man,
وَ إِنَّ الْعَالِمَ الْمُتَعَسِّفَ
but the learned man who tries to create confusion
شَبِيهٌ بِالْجَاهِلِ الْمُتَعَنِّتِ .
is like the ignorant.
