“Knowledge enormous has made a god of me”.
(Keats)
Power has always ruled the world in some form or the other. It is an old saying: Might is right. Mighty or the strong have always kept down the weak. “Survival of the fittesť is still a rule in the animal kingdom. It also holds good in the authoritative rule.
After physical force we come to Money. It is said: money makes the mare go. Money is power. Shakespeare says: “Keep money in your pocket and everything is alright”. It is hundred per cent true in our country. It makes the foul fair and the fair, foul. Those who are rich can even purchase the law and dictate judgments.
Then we come to spiritual power that we have completely forgotten. The great prophets possessed spiritual power. The great patriarch Hazrat Ibrahim was thrown into fire four times, but it refused to burn him. Hazrat Musa performed miracles by Allah’s will. Hazrat Issa used to restore eye sight to the blind and brought back the dead to life. The holy prophet Muhammad (SAW) tore the moon into two by the movement of his finger. These are feats of spiritual power. Nowadays we commonly hear the adage knowledge is power. [the_ad id=”17141″]
Nobody can deny it. All modern scientific and technological achievements are clear proof of the power of knowledge. Unlike physical and money powers, it is not tyrannical or brutish. Knowledge is power as well as adornment. All the victories of peace are the triumphs of knowledge. Knowledge is both light and power. Without knowledge, man can not become civilized. Ignorance is the worst enemy of mankind, and knowledge is a shield against the human enemy.
Knowledge is indispensable for upright deeds and good actions. Thoughts always precede actions. If our thoughts are gond, our actions are bound to be good. Knowledge tells us what is right, what is wrong: what is fair; what is foul. What is to be done and what is not to be done. This is called wisdom or discriminative knowledge. It makes man good honest and fearless.
Material or worldly knowledge without spiritual bias is harmful in the end. It leads to lust for power. Power always corrupts man. The present secular knowledge imparted in colleges and universities has failed to produce good and upright citizens. The present corruption in all the walks of national life is the direct result of material knowledge. Modern civilization is more weighted on the side of material knowledge than morality or character. The result is our civilization is lop-sided. It limps. Modern man has a stunted soul in the gigantic body.
Real knowledge is meant to elevate human soul, to enlighten mankind. It exhorts man to establish kingdom of love, friendship, peace and happiness in the world. It is rightly said that the test of a really educated man is not his knowledge but his being. Knowledge is bath impulse and law. It is the soul of human achievements. Political position is power, pelf is power; but knowledge is the greatest power.
