'Aql (Intellect)

Here is a SaHeeH (Authentic) hadeeth about the importance of having `aql (intellect). The chain of narrators in this hadeeth is impeccable.

  الْعِلَلُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ ع فَقُلْتُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ أَفْضَلُ أَمْ بَنُو آدَمَ فَقَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي طَالِبٍ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ رَكَّبَ فِي الْمَلَائِكَةِ عَقْلًا بِلَا شَهْوَةٍ وَ رَكَّبَ فِي الْبَهَائِمِ شَهْوَةً بِلَا عَقْلٍ وَ رَكَّبَ فِي بَنِي آدَمَ كِلْتَيْهِمَا فَمَنْ غَلَبَ عَقْلُهُ شَهْوَتَهُ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ مَنْ غَلَبَ شَهْوَتُهُ عَقْلَهُ فَهُوَ شَرٌّ مِنَ الْبَهَائِمِ

From `Abd Allaah bin Sinaan said I asked Abaa `Abd Allaah Ja`far bin Muhammad Al-Saadiq (عليه السلام) , so I said who is better the angels or the children of Adam? So he (عليه السلام) said, Ameer Al-Mu’mineen (عليه السلام) said: “Verily, Allaah (عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ) has constructed in angels `aql and no lust, and He has constructed in animals lust and no `aql, and He has constructed in the children of Adam both of those. So whoever can overcome his lust with his `aql is better than the angels and whoever lets his lust overcome his `aql is worse than animals”

Source:

1.     Al-Sadooq, Ilal Al-Sharaa’i`, vol. 1, ch. 6, pg. 4, hadeeth #1

2.     Al-Majlisi, BiHaar Al-Anwaar, vol. 57, pg. 299, hadeeth # 5