‘Aisha said she heard God’s messenger say that God revealed
to him, “ If anyone follows a path in search of knowledge, I shall make
easy for him the road to paradise; and if I deprive anyone of his eyes,
I shall guarantee paradise to him in return for them. Superiority in
knowledge is better than superiority in worship, and the basis of the
religion is abstinence.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.
‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr told of God’s messenger coming upon two
groups in his mosque and saying, “They are both engaged in what is
good, but one of them is superior to the other. These ones are praying and supplicating God who, if He wills, may answer their prayers
but, if He wills, may refuse them. Those ones are learning knowledge*
and teaching the ignorant, so they are superior. I was sent only as a
teacher.” He then sat down among them. Darimi transmitted it.
*The text has al-fiqh au al-'ilm, fiqh and ‘ilm having the same meaning, but the transmitter of the
tradition was not sure which word was used by the Prophet on this occasion.
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Among the
actions and good deeds for which a believer will continue to receive reward after his death are knowledge which he taught and spread, a good
son whom he left behind, or a copy of the Qur'an which he left as a
legacy, or a mosque which he built, or a house which he built for the
traveller, or a stream which he caused to flow, or a sadaqa which he
gave from his property when he was alive and well, for which he will
continue to receive reward after his death.” Ibn Majah transmitted it,
and also Baihaqi in Shu'ab al-iman.
