Wisdom is greater and more difficult to attain than intellect, piety or spirituality.
Hazrat Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Related Material by Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan
Compiled by Wahiduddin Richard Shelquist – wahiduddin.net
Intellect is the knowledge of names and forms, their character and nature, gathered from the external world. … the intellectual person takes an interest in their variety and law of change, and as knowledge is the food of the soul, at least becomes increasingly interested in the knowledge of names and forms, and calls that ‘learning’. This becomes that person’s world, although it neither gives a sense of unchanging comfort, nor does one thereby gain an everlasting peace.
Wisdom is contrary to the above-named knowledge. It is the knowledge which is illumined by the Light within; it comes with the maturity of the soul, and opens up the sight to the similarity of all things and beings, as well as the Unity in names and forms. The wise penetrate the spirit of all things; seeing the human in every gender, and the racial origin which unites nations. They see the human in all people and the divine immanence in all things in the universe, until the vision of the whole being becomes the vision of the One Alone, the most beautiful and beloved God.
Intellect is the knowledge obtained by experience of names and forms; wisdom is the knowledge which manifests only from the inner being; to acquire intellect one must delve into studies, but to obtain wisdom, nothing but the flow of Divine Mercy [ ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim ] is needed; it is as natural as the instinct of swimming to the fish, or of flying to the bird. Intellect is the sight which enables one to see through the external world, but the Light of Wisdom enables one to see through the external into the internal world. Wisdom is greater and more difficult to attain than intellect, piety, or spirituality.
Commentary by Murshid S.A.M. (Sufi Ahmed Murad)
Samuel L. Lewis
Intellect and piety are both connected with the mind and show attachment to name and form. Spirituality is a higher state which shows the heart awakening, but not necessarily awakened. Wisdom is the fruit of spirituality, when the heart condition is sustained, and the Divine Love-Life-Light is expressed and divulged through the personality.