How much better to get wisdom than gold,
to get insight rather than silver!Proverbs 16:16
The Quran informs us that real wealth lies in wisdom, not status or wealth.
[2:269] He bestows wisdom upon whomever He chooses, and whoever attains wisdom, has attained a great bounty. Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.
يُؤْتِى ٱلْحِكْمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُ وَمَن يُؤْتَ ٱلْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِىَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ
Numerous examples in the Quran convey this point.
Solomon & the Hoopoe
Solomon was blessed and tested with vast material wealth and legions of jinns, humans, and birds at his disposal.
[27:17] Mobilized in the service of Solomon were his obedient soldiers of jinns and humans, as well as the birds; all at his disposal.
وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيْمَـٰنَ جُنُودُهُۥ مِنَ ٱلْجِنِّ وَٱلْإِنسِ وَٱلطَّيْرِ فَهُمْ يُوزَعُونَ
One day, while doing rollcall, he noticed one of the birds was missing.
[27:20] He inspected the birds, and noted: “Why do I not see the hoopoe? Why is he missing?
[27:21] “I will punish him severely or sacrifice him, unless he gives me a good excuse.”
وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّيْرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِىَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلْهُدْهُدَ أَمْ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْغَآئِبِينَ
لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا أَوْ لَأَا۟ذْبَحَنَّهُۥٓ أَوْ لَيَأْتِيَنِّى بِسُلْطَـٰنٍ مُّبِينٍ
In this dynamic, it is clear that Solomon had the authority. That if he wished, he could have even sacrificed the bird if he so chose to. Yet we see the power dynamics reverse when the hoopoe appears.
[27:22] He did not wait for long. (The hoopoe) said, “I have news that you do not have. I brought to you from Sheba, some important information.
فَمَكَثَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِۦ وَجِئْتُكَ مِن سَبَإٍۭ بِنَبَإٍ يَقِينٍ
Despite Solomon’s higher status, he was at the disposal of the lowest-ranking member of his army because the hoopoe had information that Solomon did not.
Afrit vs. The One Who Possessed Knowledge
After Solomon validated the hoopoe’s findings, he asked who from his legion could bring the Queen of Sheba’s palace to him the fastest. An afrit is a powerful jinn. He was the first to claim that he could produce the Queen of Sheba’s palace before Solomon would be able to get up. Yet, the one who we are told possessed knowledge of the book stated that he could get the job done before the light reached to Solomon’s eye.
[27:38] He said, “O you elders, which of you can bring me her mansion, before they arrive here as submitters?”
[27:39] One afrit from the jinns said, “I can bring it to you before you stand up. I am powerful enough to do this.”
[27:40] The one who possessed knowledge from the book said, “I can bring it to you in the blink of your eye.” When he saw it settled in front of him, he said, “This is a blessing from my Lord, whereby He tests me, to show whether I am appreciative or unappreciative. Whoever is appreciative is appreciative for his own good, and if one turns unappreciative, then my Lord is in no need for him, Most Honorable.”
قَالَ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمَلَؤُا۟ أَيُّكُمْ يَأْتِينِى بِعَرْشِهَا قَبْلَ أَن يَأْتُونِى مُسْلِمِينَ
قَالَ عِفْرِيتٌ مِّنَ ٱلْجِنِّ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن تَقُومَ مِن مَّقَامِكَ وَإِنِّى عَلَيْهِ لَقَوِىٌّ أَمِينٌ
قَالَ ٱلَّذِى عِندَهُۥ عِلْمٌ مِّنَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ أَنَا۠ ءَاتِيكَ بِهِۦ قَبْلَ أَن يَرْتَدَّ إِلَيْكَ طَرْفُكَ فَلَمَّا رَءَاهُ مُسْتَقِرًّا عِندَهُۥ قَالَ هَـٰذَا مِن فَضْلِ رَبِّى لِيَبْلُوَنِىٓ ءَأَشْكُرُ أَمْ أَكْفُرُ وَمَن شَكَرَ فَإِنَّمَا يَشْكُرُ لِنَفْسِهِۦ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ رَبِّى غَنِىٌّ كَرِيمٌ
So, despite the afrit being a very powerful jinn, the one who was able to achieve the task the fastest, was the one who possessed knowledge.
Joseph & the King
In a third example, we see when Joseph was in prison, he had the King of Egypt at his beck and call because he showed that he knew how to interpret the king’s dream. After Joseph provided his interpretation, the king requested his men to bring Joseph to him. Yet, Joseph first told the king to go and investigate the women who made the accusations against him.
[12:50] The king said, “Bring him to me.” When the messenger came to him, he said, “Go back to your lord and ask him to investigate the women who cut their hands. My Lord is fully aware of their schemes.”
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦ فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُ ٱلرَّسُولُ قَالَ ٱرْجِعْ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَسْـَٔلْهُ مَا بَالُ ٱلنِّسْوَةِ ٱلَّـٰتِى قَطَّعْنَ أَيْدِيَهُنَّ إِنَّ رَبِّى بِكَيْدِهِنَّ عَلِيمٌ
Then, after the truth became manifest and the king wanted Joseph to work exclusively for him, Joseph requested that he manage all the provisions in Egypt. Quite a lofty ask for someone who minutes before would have been considered the bottom rung of society, a former slave who was in prison. Being the treasure of Egypt, on a practical level, would make Joseph even more powerful than the king. Yet, the king complied. This is because Joseph had knowledge and insight that the king was not privy to. So, despite Joseph being an ex-convict and the other being a king, the king was at the mercy of the prisoner.
[12:54] The king said, “Bring him to me, so I can hire him to work for me.” When he talked with him, he said, “Today, you have a prominent position with us.”
[12:55] He said, “Make me the treasurer, for I am experienced in this area and knowledgeable.”
[12:56] We thus established Joseph on earth, ruling as he wished. We shower our mercy upon whomever we will, and we never fail to recompense the righteous.
وَقَالَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱئْتُونِى بِهِۦٓ أَسْتَخْلِصْهُ لِنَفْسِى فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُۥ قَالَ إِنَّكَ ٱلْيَوْمَ لَدَيْنَا مَكِينٌ أَمِينٌ
قَالَ ٱجْعَلْنِى عَلَىٰ خَزَآئِنِ ٱلْأَرْضِ إِنِّى حَفِيظٌ عَلِيمٌ
وَكَذَٰلِكَ مَكَّنَّا لِيُوسُفَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَتَبَوَّأُ مِنْهَا حَيْثُ يَشَآءُ نُصِيبُ بِرَحْمَتِنَا مَن نَّشَآءُ وَلَا نُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
In the Bible, the account of Pharaoh speaking to Joseph about his authority is found in Genesis 41. After interpreting Pharaoh’s dreams accurately, Joseph is appointed by Pharaoh to oversee the land of Egypt during the forthcoming years of plenty and famine.
39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has made all this known to you, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people are to submit to your orders. Only with respect to the throne will I be greater than you.”
41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” 42 Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. 43 He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command,[b] and people shouted before him, “Make way[c]!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt.
44 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.”
