Abu Sa'id al-Khudri reported God’s messenger as saying, “ People
will follow you, and men will come to you from all regions of the earth
seeking understanding about the religion; so when they come to you,
give them good counsel.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Two men, one learned and the
other devout, were mentioned to God’s messenger, who then said, “The
superiority of the learned man over the devout man is like mine over
the most contemptible among you,” adding, “God, His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its hole and even
the fish invoke blessings on him who teaches men what is good.”
Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Darimi transmitted it from Makhul in mursal
form, but did not mention the two men. He said, “The superiority of
the learned man over the devout man is like mine over the most contemptible among you.” Then he recited this verse, “Only those of His
servants who are learned fear God," (35:28) 1 then went on with the tradition to
the end.
Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, “A word which
contains wisdom is the stray beast* of the wise man, so wherever he finds
it he is most entitled to it.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it,
Tirmidhi saying that this is a gharib tradition and that Ibrahim b. al-Fadl the transmitter is declared to be weak in tradition.
*i.e. something to be sought.
Kathir b. Qais told how, when he was sitting with Abu Darda' in
the mosque of Damascus, a man came to him and said, “Abu Darda',
I have come to you from the town of the Messenger for a tradition I have
heard that you relate from God's messenger. I have come for no other
purpose.” He replied that he had heard God’s messenger say, “ If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge God will cause him to
travel on one of the roads of paradise, the angels will lower their wings
from good pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, and the inhabitants
of the heavens and the earth and the fish in the depth of the water will
ask forgiveness for him. The superiority of the learned man over the
devout man is like that of the moon on the night when it is full over the
rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the prophets who leave
neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who accepts it
accepts an abundant portion.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah
and Darimi transmitted it, Tirmidhi calling Him Qais b. Kathir.
