What is greater - wealth or knowledge?

Peace,

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself whether you would rather be ridiculously wealthy or have gained vast amounts of knowledge?

This question was posed by 10 learned men to Imam Ali (peace be on him) over 1,400 years ago. The divinely appointed Imam answered each man with the answer of knowledge being superior with a different reason and i thought I would share the wisdom in his answer with any readers who may still visit this page in spite of my recent laziness in adding anything to it.

*Imam Ali as answered in ten parts:

1. Knowledge is the legacy of the Prophets; wealth is the inheritance of the Pharaohs. Therefore, knowledge is better than wealth.
2. You are to guard your wealth but knowledge guards you. Therefore,knowledge is better.
3. A man of wealth has many enemies, while a man of knowledge has many friends. Hence, knowledge is better.
4. Knowledge is better because it increases with distribution, while wealth decreases by that act.
5. Knowledge is better because a learned man is apt to be generous while a wealthy person is apt to be miserly.
6. Knowledge is better because it cannot be stolen while wealth can be stolen.
7. Knowledge is better because time cannot harm knowledge but wealth rusts in course of time and wears away.
8. Knowledge is better because it is boundless while wealth is limited and you can keep account of it.
9. Knowledge is better because it illuminates the mind while wealth is apt to blacken it.
10.Knowledge is better because knowledge induced the humanity in our Prophet to say to GOD “We worship thee as we are your servants,” while wealth engendered in Pharaoh and Nimrod the vanity which made them claim god-head.

I hope you enjoyed the pearls of wisdom emanating from the commander of the faithful, Ali son of Abu Talib (peace be with him) and if God wills, I will share some more stories from his extraordinary example of how life should be lived in the future.

Peace be with you all.