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Please explain these three statements.
The Prophet, peace be upon him and his family, said: “Knowledge consists of three things: a clear verse, a justly balanced duty, and an enduring, established tradition. Anything beyond these is an extra.”
*Al-Kāfī*, vol. 1, p. 83.
True knowledge consists of three things: a clear verse, which is an evident sign and a guide to understanding the allegorical verses; a justly balanced duty, which sets out the obligations of serving God; and an enduring tradition, which encompasses religious practice, law and noble character. Fields such as Arab genealogy and poetry are forms of knowledge that bring no harm to those who do not know them, nor any benefit to those who do.
It is narrated from Abū al-Ḥasan Mūsā (peace be upon him) that he said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) entered the mosque and saw a crowd gathered around a man. “What is going on?” he asked. “He is a scholar,” they replied. “What does he know?” he asked. They said, “He knows more than anyone about the lineages of the Arabs, their conflicts and the events of their past, the days of the pre-Islamic era, and Arabic poetry.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said, “That is knowledge whose absence does no harm, and whose possession brings no benefit.” Then he said, “Knowledge is only of three kinds: a decisive verse, a just obligation, or an established practice. Everything else is superfluous.”
Al-Kāfī (Islamic edition), vol. 1, p. 32
Ibrāhīm ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥamīd relates from Imam al-Kāẓim (peace be upon him) that he said: The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) entered the mosque and saw a group gathered around a man. “What is going on?” he asked. “He is a man of great learning,” they replied. “What does he know?” he asked. They said, “He knows more than anyone about the lineages of the Arabs, their history and the events of the pre-Islamic era, and Arabic poetry.” He said, “This is knowledge that does no harm to someone who lacks it, and brings no benefit to someone who possesses it.”
Then the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: “Knowledge is indeed of three kinds: a decisive verse, a just obligation, and an established practice. Everything else is superfluous.”
A decisive verse: a clear sign that needs no explanation or elaboration, whose truth is woven into the human soul. It refers to forms of knowledge that serve as keys, unlocking and resolving questions, difficulties and needs, and providing a way to understand ambiguous matters. From one perspective, decisive verses point to theoretical knowledge, the principles of belief, and innate, clear and evident knowledge. From another, they refer to God’s proofs. Knowing God’s proof is tantamount to attaining particular and sound forms of knowledge and expertise.
A just obligation: this may refer to practical rulings, including prayer, zakat, fasting, pilgrimage, jihad, khums, and the like, which form the foundation of worship and devotion to God. In other words, a just obligation is one of the duties upon which the order of devotion to God rests; understanding these duties and attaining a proper grasp of them makes a person learned in worship.
An established practice: this may refer to the way and laws that not only help to strengthen beliefs, but also enhance the beauty of a person’s spiritual journey. Noble character is one part of this established practice. In general, it means taking God’s proofs as models in worship and devotion to Him.
Tanwīr
Knowledge is of three kinds: a decisive verse, a practice to be followed, and a just obligation; and their measure is our command.
Knowledge is of three kinds: jurisprudence for religion, medicine for the body, and grammar for the tongue.
Knowledge is of three kinds: a speaking Book, an established practice, and “I do not know.”