Knowledge of knowledge is ignorance.

“The more knowledge increases, the more a person considers himself unaware and ignorant.”

Tuesday, 6 January 2026

Masood Ahmed Barkati

One day, Haleem and Saleem went out for a walk with their father. Haleem was older, and Saleem was younger, but Saleem was more sensible than his elder brother. They had gone a little distance away from their town when they saw a small hill. Both of them said to their father, “Today we want to explore this hill.” Their father replied, “All right, let’s go to the hill today. There is no harm in that.”

After climbing the hill, Haleem and Saleem were very happy. When they climbed a little higher, the houses of the town became visible, but the large houses looked like small toy homes. The wide roads appeared like narrow lanes. As they kept climbing, all three of them finally reached the very top of the hill.

“Oh!” Saleem exclaimed without thinking, “From here, the entire town can be seen.”

Haleem said, “From below the hill, nothing can be seen at all.”

Their father said, “Did you see the pleasure of reaching a height? Now, if you climb an even higher mountain—like the one you see in front of you—you will not only be able to see your own town, but also the neighboring towns. The higher a person goes, the broader his vision becomes.

You may have heard someone say that ‘the peak of knowledge is ignorance.’”

Haleem quickly said, “Wow! What is so difficult to understand in that? A person becomes ignorant even after studying and learning.”

Instead of Saleem, the father replied, “No, Haleem! That is not what it means. Just now you were saying that nothing is visible from below the hill, but as you climb higher, distant things begin to appear.

When a person is at a low level, he knows nothing, but when he rises higher, he realizes, ‘Oh, before this I knew nothing at all.’ This is exactly how knowledge works. When a person has no education, he does not even realize his ignorance. But when he gains a little education, he begins to feel that he should acquire more knowledge.

In this way, he keeps increasing his knowledge, and at the same time, the feeling or realization that his knowledge and information are still very limited also keeps increasing. He continues climbing the mountain of knowledge, touching greater heights, and his unawareness, lack of knowledge, and ignorance become clearer to him. The more knowledge increases, the more a person considers himself unaware and ignorant. That is why it is said that the peak of knowledge is ignorance.”

Saleem and Haleem said, “Father! Now we understand. The example of the mountain made the idea very easy to grasp.” And they all happily returned home.

As they walked back home, both brothers kept thinking about what their father had explained. The hill they had climbed was no longer just a hill for them; it had become a symbol of learning and understanding. Haleem, who earlier thought he already knew enough, now felt quiet and thoughtful. He realized that true wisdom is not about showing off knowledge, but about accepting how much more there is still to learn.

Saleem, on the other hand, felt encouraged. He understood that feeling ignorant was not a weakness, but a sign of growth. The more a person learns, the more questions arise, and these questions push the mind to explore further. Knowledge, he realized, is like an endless journey rather than a final destination.

Their father noticed the silence and smiled. He knew that the lesson had reached their hearts. He explained that arrogant people believe they know everything, while truly knowledgeable people remain humble. Humility, he said, is the true companion of wisdom. A person who respects learning will always stay curious and open-minded.

When they reached home, the sun was setting, and the sky was painted with soft colors. The boys felt peaceful. That day had taught them more than any book could have. They learned that education does not end in classrooms, and wisdom does not come from memorizing facts alone. It comes from reflection, experience, and the courage to admit one’s limitations.

From that day onward, both brothers promised themselves to keep learning, to stay humble, and to never be ashamed of saying, “I do not know.” They understood that this very sentence is often the first step toward true knowledge.