Chapter on the reward for the scholars and those who seek knowledge

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقاً يَطْلُبُ فِيهِ عِلْماً سَلَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ‌[3] طَرِيقاً إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ وَ إِنَّ الْمَلَائِكَةَ لَتَضَعُ أَجْنِحَتَهَا لِطَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ رِضًا بِهِ‌[4] وَ إِنَّهُ يَسْتَغْفِرُ لِطَالِبِ الْعِلْمِ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَ مَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ حَتَّى الْحُوتِ فِي الْبَحْرِ وَ فَضْلُ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ كَفَضْلِ الْقَمَرِ عَلَى سَائِرِ النُّجُومِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ وَ

“The holy Prophet has said, ‘If one sets out on a journey to seek knowledge Allah will lead him to the way that would take him to paradise. The angels will stretch their wings for the pleasure of the seeker of knowledge and all that is in the heavens and earth even the whales in the oceans will ask forgiveness for him

إِنَّ الَّذِي يُعَلِّمُ الْعِلْمَ مِنْكُمْ لَهُ أَجْرٌ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ الْمُتَعَلِّمِ وَ لَهُ الْفَضْلُ عَلَيْهِ فَتَعَلَّمُوا الْعِلْمَ مِنْ حَمَلَةِ الْعِلْمِ وَ عَلِّمُوهُ إِخْوَانَكُمْ كَمَا عَلَّمَكُمُوهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ.

“Those of you who teach will have the same reward as those who learn in addition to his higher position over the student. Learn knowledge from those possess knowledge and teach it to your brethren just as the scholars have taught you.”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ مَنْ عَلَّمَ خَيْراً فَلَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ عَلَّمَهُ غَيْرَهُ‌[1] يَجْرِي ذَلِكَ لَهُ قَالَ إِنْ عَلَّمَهُ النَّاسَ كُلَّهُمْ جَرَى لَهُ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ مَاتَ قَالَ وَ إِنْ مَاتَ.

“Whoever teaches something good he will receive a reward for each time his student would practice such knowledge.” Abu Basir has said, “I asked the Imam, ‘Would this apply to the student if he would teach other people?’ The Imam (a.s.) replied, “Yes, it will apply to him even if all people would teach it.” I then asked

مَنْ عَلَّمَ بَابَ هُدًى فَلَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ وَ لَا يُنْقَصُ أُولَئِكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِمْ شَيْئاً وَ مَنْ عَلَّمَ بَابَ ضَلَالٍ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلُ أَوْزَارِ مَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ وَ لَا يُنْقَصُ أُولَئِكَ مِنْ أَوْزَارِهِمْ شَيْئاً.

“Whoever teaches a subject of guidance he will receive a reward equal to the rewards of those who would practice such guidance without any reduction in the rewards of the later ones. Whoever would introduce a subject of misguidance he will suffer equal to the suffering due for each time it is practiced without any redu

لَوْ يَعْلَمُ النَّاسُ مَا فِي طَلَبِ الْعِلْمِ لَطَلَبُوهُ وَ لَوْ بِسَفْكِ الْمُهَجِ‌[3] وَ خَوْضِ اللُّجَجِ‌[4] إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَوْحَى إِلَى دَانِيَالَ أَنَّ أَمْقَتَ عَبِيدِي إِلَيَّ الْجَاهِلُ الْمُسْتَخِفُّ بِحَقِّ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ التَّارِكُ لِلِاقْتِدَاءِ بِهِمْ وَ أَنَّ أَحَبَّ عَبِيدِي إِلَيَّ التَّقِيُّ الطَّالِبُ لِلثَّوَابِ الْجَزِيلِ اللَّازِمُ لِلْعُلَمَاءِ التَّابِعُ لِلْحُلَمَاءِ

"If people knew the value of seeking knowledge, they would pursue it even at the cost of shedding their own blood and crossing deep waters. Indeed, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed to Daniel: 'The most despised of My servants to Me is the ignorant one who belittles the rights of the scholars and neglects follow

قَالَ لِي أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ وَ عَمِلَ بِهِ وَ عَلَّمَ لِلَّهِ دُعِيَ فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَاوَاتِ عَظِيماً فَقِيلَ تَعَلَّمَ لِلَّهِ وَ عَمِلَ لِلَّهِ وَ عَلَّمَ لِلَّهِ.

“Whoever acquires knowledge and practice what he has learned and teach it to others for the sake of Allah, among the angels of heavens he will be called a great personality. It will be said there: ‘He learned for the sake of Allah, practiced for the sake of Allah and taught it for the sake of Allah.”