“Everyone's friend is his reason; his enemy is his ignorance.”
Ali al-Rida (770–818) eighth of the Twelve Imams
Muhammad Kulayni, Usūl al-Kāfī, vol.1, p. 11 ; Wasā'il al-Shī‘ah, vol.1, p. 161.
Regarding Knowledge & Wisdom, General
“Wisdom and intellect is every man's friend, ignorance and illiteracy are his enemies.”
Ibn Shu’ba al-Harrani, Tuhaf al-'Uqul, p. 467.
Regarding Knowledge & Wisdom, General
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eighth of the Twelve Imams 770–818Related quotes
Ramakrishna (1836–1886) Indian mystic and religious preacher
Source: Sayings of Sri Ramakrishna (1960), p. 164
Context: Two friends went into an orchard. One of them possessing much worldly wisdom, immediately began to count the mango trees there and the number of mangoes each tree bore, and to estimate what might be the approximate value of the whole orchard. His companion went to the owner, made friends with him, and then, quietly going into a tree, began at his host's desire to pluck the fruits and eat them. Whom do you consider to be the wiser of the two? Eat mangoes. It will satisfy your hunger. What is the good of counting the trees and leaves and making calculations? The vain man of intellect busies himself with finding out the "why" and "wherefore" of creation, while the humble man of wisdom makes friends with the Creator and enjoys His gift of supreme bliss.
“Man's knowledge, save before his fellow man,
Is ignorance—his widest wisdom folly.”
Theodore Watts-Dunton (1832–1914) English literary critic and poet
The Coming of Love and Other Poems (1897)
Source: "Prophetic Pictures at Venice VII: New Year's Morning, 1867", p. 207.
“Nothing is as dangerous as an ignorant friend; a wise enemy is to be preferred.”
Jean De La Fontaine (1621–1695) French poet, fabulist and writer.
Rien n'est si dangereux qu'un ignorant ami;
Mieux vaudrait un sage ennemi.
Book VIII (1678-1679), fable 10.
Fables (1668–1679)
Variant: Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable.
“An excellent man: he has no enemies, and none of his friends like him.”
Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish writer and poet
Quoted by George Bernard Shaw in a letter to Ellen Terry, 25 September 1896.
Context: On George Bernard Shaw An excellent man: he has no enemies, and none of his friends like him.
John Adams (1735–1826) 2nd President of the United States
Letter to Josiah Quincy III (14 February 1825)
1820s
“Trusting no man as his friend, he could not recognize his enemy when the latter actually appeared.”
Nathaniel Hawthorne book The Scarlet Letter
Source: The Scarlet Letter (1850), Chapter X: The Leech and His Patient
“My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy.”
Maya Angelou (1928–2014) American author and poet
“4833. The wise Man draws more Advantage from his Enemies, than a Fool from his Friends.”
Thomas Fuller (writer) (1654–1734) British physician, preacher, and intellectual
Compare Poor Richard's Almanack (1749) : The wise Man draws more Advantage from his Enemies, than the Fool from his Friends.
Introductio ad prudentiam: Part II (1727), Gnomologia (1732)