‘Aun reported Ibn Mas'ud as saying, “Two greedy ones never
attain satisfaction, the learned man and the worldly man, but they are
not equal. The learned man becomes more pleasing to the Compassionate One, but the worldly man perseveres in transgression." Then
‘Abdallah recited, “Nay, but man transgresses in considering that he
is self-sufficient. "* He added, “The other is preferable, for ‘only those
of His servants who are learned fear God.’ " Darimi transmitted it.
*Qur’an, xcvi, 6 f.
Narrated He also reported the Prophet as saying, “Two greedy ones never
attain satisfaction:
he who is greedy for knowledge can never get
enough of it, and he who is greedy for worldly goods can never get
enough of them." Baihaqi transmitted the three traditions in Shu'ab
al-iman, and quoted the imam Ahmad as saying about Abu Darda''s
tradition, “This is a well-known text among the people, but it does not
have a sound isnad."
Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s messenger as saying, “Some among
my people will become learned in religion, will recite the Qur’an, and
say that they will go to princes and get some of their worldly goods,
but withdraw from them with their religion. That cannot be; for, as
what is gathered from tragacanth trees consists only of thorns, so what
is gathered from drawing near to them consists only of . . . ” Muhammad
b. as-Sabbah said that he obviously meant “sins." Ibn Majah transmitted it.
Anas b. Malik said that God’s messenger asked, “Do you know
who is most generous?" On receiving the reply that God and His
messenger knew best, he said, “God is the most generous, then I am the
most generous of mankind, and the most generous of them after me will
be a man who acquires knowledge and spreads it. On the day of resurrection he will come as a prince alone.” Or he said, “As one people."
