"If Allah wants to favor someone, He grants him comprehension (understanding) of this religion."
[Sahih Bukhari vol.1 # 71, Tirmidhi and Musnad Ahmad]
The
example of guidance and knowledge with which, Allah has sent me is like
abundant rain falling on the earth, some of which was fertile soil,
absorbed rain water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance.
(And) another portion of it was hard and held the rainwater and Allah
benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking, making
their animals drink from it and for irrigation of the land for
cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which, could neither hold
the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits).
The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah's religion
and gets benefit (from the knowledge), which Allah has revealed through
me (the Prophet) and learns and then teaches others. The last example is
that of a person who does not care for it and does not take Allah's
guidance revealed through me (He is like that barren land.)" [Sahih Al-Bukhari v.1 no.79. Narrated by Abu Musa]
“It is only those who have knowledge amongst His slaves that fear Allah.” [Soorah Al-Fatir (35): 28]
"Seek
knowledge, because seeking it for the sake of Allah is a worship. And
knowing it makes you more God-fearing; and searching for it is jihad,
teaching it to those who do not know is charity, reviewing and learning
it more is like tasbeeh. Through knowledge Allah will be known and
worshipped. With the knowledge Allah will elevate people and make them
leaders and imams, who will in turn guide other people." [Fatawa Ibn Taymiyya vol.10, p.39]
"Whoever
treads on a path in search of Islamic knowledge, Allah will ease the
way to Paradise for him. The angels will lower their wings, pleased with
this seeker of knowledge, and everyone in the heavens and on earth will
ask forgiveness for the knowledgeable person, even the fish in the
deepest of waters will ask for his forgiveness” [Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi # 2835-sahih hadith]
“He
whom death overtakes while he is engaged in acquiring knowledge with a
view to reviving Islam with the help of it, there will be one degree
between him and the Prophets in Paradise .” [Al-Tirmidhi Hadith no. 249. Narrated by Al-Hasan al-Basri]
“…The superiority of the knowledgeable man over the worshipper in
Islam, is like the superiority of the full moon over the rest of the
planets. And the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, but the
Prophets did not leave behind wealth but they left behind knowledge. And
whoever takes firm hold of this is a very fortunate man."
“The
upright in every generation will carry the knowledge, rejecting the
distortion of the extremists, the false claims of the liars, and the
false interpretation of the ignorant.” [Declared Hasan by Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee]