The Role of the Intellect in Chastisement and Reward

The Prophet (SAWA) asked a group of people who were praising a man, ‘How is the man s intellect to which they replied, ‘O Prophet of Allah, we are telling you about his endeavours at worship and other good acts, and you are asking us about his intellect! So he replied, ‘Verily the stupid person suffers as a result of his stupidity worse than the licentiousness of an immoral person. The servants will rise up in rank in the Hereafter and will receive great rewards from their Lord in proportion to their intellects.

The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily all good is grasped through the intellect, and the man devoid of intellect has no religion.

Imam al-Hasan (AS) said, ‘Both the abodes [of the world and the Hereafter] are grasped by the intellect, and whoever is deprived of the intellect is deprived of them both.

Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘When Allah created the intellect He said to it, ‘Come forward so it came forward, then commanded it, ‘Go back and it went back. Then He said to it, ‘By my Honour and Exaltedness, I have not created anything better than you. It is you that I command, and you that I prohibit from things, and you that I punish and you that I reward.

Imam al-Baqir (AS) narrated, ‘Among what was revealed to Moses (AS) was, ‘I take My servants to account according to the level of intellect that I have given them.

Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘I found written in the Book [i.e. the Book ascribed to Imam Ali (AS)] that the worth and value of every man is his knowledge. Verily Allah, Blessed and most High, will take people to account according to the intellects that He has given them in this world s life.

Imam al-Kazim (AS) said, ‘He who wants wealth without the need for riches, and comfort of the heart free from jealousy, and security in his faith should implore Allah, Mighty and Exalted, in his plea for Him to perfect his intellect.