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.
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-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.
Abu Darda’ said that the one who would have the worst position in
God’s sight on the day of resurrection would be a learned man who did
not profit from his learning.” Darimi transmitted it.
Ziyad b. Hudair said that ‘Umar asked him whether he knew what
demolishes Islam, and that when he replied that he did not, he said,
"The slip of a learned man, the disputation of a hypocrite about the
Book, and the rule of imams who lead men astray.” Darimi transmitted
it.
Narrated Al-Hasan said that knowledge is of two kinds:
knowledge in the
heart, which is the beneficial type; and knowledge on the tongue, which
is God’s allegation against a human being.” Darimi transmitted it.
Abu Huraira said, "I have kept in my memory two large quantities*
of learning from God’s messenger, one of which I have disclosed among
you; but were I to disclose the other, this bul'um, meaning the food
tract, would be cut". Bukhari transmitted it.
*Lit. receptacles, or vessels.
If any of you people knows anything he should
make it known, but if anyone does not know he should say that God
knows best, for saying this when one does not know is a part of knowledge. God said to His prophet, “Say, I do not ask you for any reward
for it, and I am not a pretender.”* (Bukhari and Muslim.)
*Qur’an, xxxviii, 86.
Hudhaifa said, “ If you Qur'an readers follow a straight course you
will have attained great precedence; but if you go right and left you will
have fallen into vast error.” Bukhari transmitted it.
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Seek refuge in
God from the pit of sorrow.” On being asked what the pit of sorrow was,
he replied, “ It is a wadi in jahannam from which jahannam seeks refuge four hundred times every day.” When God’s messenger was asked
who would enter it, he replied, “The Qur’an readers who are ostentatious in what they do.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Ibn Majah has the
same, adding in it, “Among the Qur’an readers who are most hateful to
God are those who visit princes.” Al-Muharibi said that he meant
tyrants.
‘Ali reported God’s messenger as saying, “ A time is soon coming to
mankind when nothing of Islam but its name will remain and only the
written form of the Qur’an will remain. Their mosques will be in fine
condition but will be devoid of guidance, their learned men will be the
worst people under heaven, corruption coming forth from them and
returning among them.” Baihaqi transmitted it in Shu'ab al-iman.
The Prophet mentioned a matter, saying,
“That will be at the time when knowledge departs.” I asked, “How can
knowledge depart when we recite the Qur’an and teach it to our children
and they will teach it to their children up till the day of resurrection?”
He replied, “ I am astonished at you,* Ziyad. I thought you were the
most learned man in Medina. Do not these Jews and Christians read the
Torah and the Injil without knowing a thing about their contents?”
Ahmad and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi transmitted something
similar from him, as did Darimi from Abu Umama.
Ibn Mas'ud reported that God's messenger said to him, "Acquire
knowledge and teach it to the people, learn the obligatory duties and
teach them to the people, learn the Qur’an and teach it to the people;
for I am a man who will be taken away, knowledge will be taken away,
dissensions will appear, so that two men will disagree about an obligatory duty and find no one to decide between them.” Darimi and
Daraqutni transmitted it.
Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, "Knowledge from which no benefit is derived is like a treasure from which nothing is expended in God’s path.” Darimi transmitted it.
