Is there a hadith stating that Allah has not created any instrument more valuable than intellect/mind?

Dear Brother / Sister,

The Prophet (pbuh) stated the following:

“What keeps man upright is his mind. He who has no mind has no religion.” (Jamius-Saghir, 4: 528 (H. No:6159)

Thus, he stated that responsibility was dependent on the mind. Therefore, scholars said, “Sound naql (verses and hadith) does not contradict clear mind.” Every virtue has a principle and every good manner has a source. The principle of virtues and the source of good manners in man are the mind, which Allah made a principle for the religion and a pole/pillar for the world.

The following is stated in a hadith reported by Anas: “Somebody praised a person in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). The Prophet (pbuh) asked, ‘How is the mind of that person?’ The Companions answered: ‘O Messenger of Allah! We are talking about the good deeds and worship of that man but you are asking about his mind.’ The Prophet (pbuh) said,

‘People make bigger mistakes with their stupidity than sinners. The degrees of people on the Day of Judgment are based on their minds.' (Ihyau Ulum, Ghazali, 1/211) Man has not obtained anything like mind, which leads him to guidance and saves him from disasters. Have you not heard that when sinners are thrown into Hell, they will regret by saying, ‘Had we but listened or used our intelligence, we should not (now) be among the Companions of the Blazing Fire.’? (al-Mulk, 67/10)" [Mawardi, Abul-Hasan Ali bin Muhammad, Adabud-Din wad-Dunya (Beirut-Lebanon, 1979), p. 2]”

Once, Hz. Aisha asked the Prophet (pbuh):

“O Messenger of Allah! With what do people obtain superiority in the world?” The Prophet (pbuh) answered:

“With mind/intellect.” Hz. Aisha asked:

“Is the value of everybody not measured by their deeds?” The Prophet (pbuh) answered:

“O Aisha! Can they do anything more than their minds? They worship based on the mind Allah has given them. Then, they are rewarded based on their deeds.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/213)

It is reported from Ibn Abbas that the Messenger of Allah said,

“Everything has an instrument. The instrument of the believer is the mind. Everything has a mount. The mount of a person is the mind. Everything has a pillar. The pillar of the religion is the mind. Every tribe has a support. The support of worship is the mind. Every tribe has an inviter. What invites the scholar to worship is the mind. Everything has a repairer. The repairer of the hereafter is the mind. Everybody has a work that will be unforgettable. The work of a veracious person is the mind. Every traveler has a tent. The tent of the believer is the mind.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/213)

He also said,

“The most intelligent one among you is the one that fears Allah the most. The best one among you is the one who obeys Allah’s orders and prohibitions even if he has few nafilah deeds of worship.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/214)

Due to this importance of the mind, the Prophet (pbuh) said,

“Allah has not created anything more valuable than the mind.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/217)

Yes, the mind is more valuable than Paradise because nobody will give his mind to take Paradise. 

Hz. Ali said,

“Three things make man honorable and dignified. They are intellect, religion and knowledge.” (see Mawardi, Adabud-Din wad-Dunya, p. 4, 11)

According to Ghazali the mind is an instrument like the eye. The eye needs to be made alive with the knowledge called “divine aid” and helped by the sun called “divine revelation” to see. The mind that is deprived of aid and religion is not perfect mind. Amir bin Qays stated the following: “If your intellect prevents you from religiously inappropriate words and deeds, you are really intelligent.” As a matter of fact, Hz. Umar, Ubayy bin Ka’ab and Abu Hurayra entered into the presence of the Prophet (pbuh) and asked,  

“O Messenger of Allah! Who is the scholar with the most knowledge among people?” The Messenger of Allah answered:

“The one who is the most intelligent.” They asked again,

“Who is the one who worships the most?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“The one who is the most intelligent.” They asked again,

“Who is the most virtuous one among people?” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,

“The one who is the most intelligent” They asked,

“O Messenger of Allah! Is the intelligent person not the one who is benevolent, generous, who speaks well and is respectable?” The Prophet (pbuh) said,

“What you mention is related to the world. The hereafter belongs to muttaqis (those who fear Allah and who are pious). The most intelligent person is the person who is muttaqi.” (Ghazali, Ihya, 1/217)

He also said,

“The intelligent person is definitely the one who believes in Allah, approves His Messenger and makes his deeds in compliance with Islam by obeying Allah and His Messenger.” (ibid, 1/218)

The mind has three levels: The first one is: Ifrat (excessiveness); the second one is Tafrit (negligence/laxity). The desired one is Wasat (moderation). “Jarbaza (gift of the gab)” emerges from ifrat and “Hamaqat (stupidity)” emerges from tafrit. The real mind is the level of “Hikmah (wisdom)”, which is the moderate level of the mind; “it knows the truth as truth and follows it; it knows the wrong as wrong and avoids it.” (İşaratü’l-İcaz, 29)

The Prophet said,

 "The intelligent person is the one who controls his soul and gets ready for the eternal life after death." (Ibn Majah, Zuhd, 31)

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