The Prophet ﷺ declared that ignorance is an illness, whilst its remedy is to ask the scholars.

Abu Dawud has cited in his Sunan, on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah who said:

“We went on a journey with the Prophet ﷺ when a man was struck by a stone that left a gash on his head. Later, he was overcome by nocturnal emission, so he enquired with his companions by saying, ‘Do you deem that I have a concession to perform tayammum?’ They replied: ‘We do not deem that you have this concession whilst you are able to use water.’ Thus, he bathed in water and consequently died.

When we approached the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he was informed of this incident and said, “They have killed him, Allah kill them! If only they had asked if they did not know! Surely the cure for ignorance is to ask. It would have sufficed him to perform tayammum and press a bandage over his gash and wipe the water over it and wash the remainder of his body.”

Here he ﷺ informed that ignorance is an illness, and its cure is to ask.

Allah says in the Quran,

فَسْـَٔلُوٓا۟ أَهْلَ ٱلذِّكْرِ إِن كُنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“If you do not know, then ask those who have knowledge.”

– Surah An-Nahl [16:43]

Adapted from “Al-Da’Wa al-Dawā” by Imam ibn al-Qayyim.