Sufyan said that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab asked Ka‘b who were the lords
of knowledge, and he replied that they are those who act according to
what they know. He then asked what it is that takes knowledge from
the hearts of the learned and was told that it is covetousness. Darimi
transmitted it.
Al-A‘mash reported God’s messenger as saying, "The calamity
which affects knowledge is forgetfulness, and wasting it is to convey it to
those who are unworthy of it.” Darimi transmitted it in mursal form.
Al-Ahwas b. Hakim told on his father’s authority that a man asked
the Prophet about evil, and he replied, "Do not ask me about evil, but
ask me about good,” saying it three times. Then he said, "The worst
evil consists in learned men who are evil, and the best good consists in
learned men who are good.” Darimi transmitted it.
If the learned were to guard learning
and entrust it to those who are worthy of it, they would thereby, rule
their contemporaries. But they have bestowed it on worldly people to
get thereby some of their worldly goods, and have been despised by
them. I heard your Prophet say, "If anyone makes the care of his
eternal welfare the sum total of his cares God will protect him from
worldly care, but if he has a variety of cares consisting of matters related to this world God will not be concerned in which of its wadis he
perishes.” Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Baihaqi transmitted it in
Shu'ab al-iman from Ibn ‘Umar beginning with "If anyone makes the
care.”
