“The boundless anguish born of curiosity and the yearning for truth inherent in human nature can only be relieved by affirming the Divine Unity of the Creator and attaining knowledge of God.”¹⁾

“The intense curiosity, ardent love, fierce ambition, and persistent striving embedded within human nature were granted for the purpose of seeking the matters of the Hereafter.”²⁾

“In humankind there exists such passion, such curiosity for discovering truths and marvels, that in pursuit of a single hidden reality they will sacrifice their wealth and even their lives.”³⁾

“Curiosity (or eager inquiry) plays a vital role in reading the Book of the Universe. As the noble Master (the Sage Bediüzzaman) expresses it: ‘Curiosity is the teacher of knowledge.’⁴⁾ Here, knowledge does not mean science in its narrow modern sense, but rather: outward knowledge that reveals the surface of things, inward marifah that discloses Divine meanings, love that arises from this knowing, and the passion and longing that flow from love. Thus, when God Almighty commands His Messenger, ‘Say: O my Lord, increase me in knowledge!’ (TaHa 20:114), the ilm (knowledge) referred to is not merely awareness of the nature of things—but knowledge that becomes gnosis (spiritual knowledge), that transforms into a culture of conscience, that leads to love of God and culminates in ecstatic yearning. Therefore, curiosity as the teacher of knowledge should be understood in this profound sense.”⁵⁾

“Our duty is to awaken in people a deep curiosity and noble excitement—to instill in them a lofty ideal, to reward genuine achievement, and to prepare the ground for the growth of capable, visionary individuals. We must nurture people who, carrying out their intellectual and scholarly endeavors with the joy of worship, believe that their efforts will draw them nearer to God’s good pleasure, to the companionship of the Messenger of God, peace and blessings be upon him, and to the blessings of the Hereafter—people who resolve to transform this world into a reflection of Paradise in pursuit of that aim.”⁶⁾

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