Muhajir bin Habib said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said that Allah the Exalted said: "I do not accept the speech of every wise person, rather I accept his intention and desire. If his intention and desire are in obedience to Me, then I make even his silence into praise, glorification, and dignity, even if he remains silent."

Abu Zahriyya (Hudir bin Karib) narrated marfu‘: Allah Almighty said: "I will spread knowledge in the last era until men, women, slaves and free, young and old, all will acquire knowledge. Then when I have done so, I will seize them in exchange for My right."

Imam Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Whoever seeks any part of this knowledge with the intention of reward from Allah Almighty, then if Allah wills, he will attain it (the knowledge of religion). And whoever intends to attain the world through this knowledge, then by Allah, he will get the world. That is, «﴿وَمَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ﴾» [بقره: 200/2] they will have no share in the Hereafter.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Do not seek knowledge for three things: so that you may argue with the foolish, or dispute with the scholars, or turn people’s faces towards yourself (i.e., make them your followers). Seek with your words only the reward that is with Allah, which will remain forever, and whatever is besides that will perish.

Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever acquires this knowledge (i.e., religious knowledge) to attain worldly gains, Allah, the Exalted, will make the fragrance of Paradise forbidden for him on the Day of Resurrection."

A man said to Imam Sha’bi (may Allah have mercy on him): O scholar (of religion), give me a fatwa. So he said: The scholar is the one who fears Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Acquire knowledge, through it you will be recognized. Act upon it so that you may be called people of knowledge. A time will come when out of ten, nine people will not even know what is good (virtue), and only the ascetic will be able to attain salvation from it. They will be the leaders of guidance, the lamps of knowledge, who will not be mischief-makers or tale-bearers. Abu Muhammad said that «نؤمة» refers to one who is heedless of evil and «المذاييع» refers to one who talks excessively.

Sayyiduna Mu'adh bin Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) said: After acquiring knowledge, act upon it as much as you can. Until you act, Allah Almighty will never grant you the reward of knowledge.

It is narrated from Sa’d that he went to Wahb bin Munabbih, and Wahb asked him about Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him), inquiring about his intellect and understanding. Sa’d described his condition, and then said: We have read in the (heavenly) scriptures that Allah Almighty has never granted knowledge to any servant, and that servant acted upon it while following the path of guidance, except that Allah Almighty would not take away his intellect until He seizes his soul and calls him to Himself.

Sayyiduna Abu Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: On the Day of Resurrection, the worst person in status and rank in the sight of Allah Almighty will be the scholar who does not benefit from his knowledge; that is, he does not act according to his knowledge.