The superiority of the scholar over the worshiper is like my superiority over the lowest among you
Narrator in the source: Abu ’Umāmah al-Bāhili reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah say:
Abu ’Umāmah al-Bāhili (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Two men were mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): one of them was a devout worshipper and the other a scholar. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The superiority of the scholar over the worshiper is like my superiority over the lowest among you." Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah, His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in its hole, and even the fish, invoke blessings upon one who teaches people goodness."- Grade in the source
- Hasan/Sound by virtue of corroborating evidence
- Reported by
- Narrated by At-Tirmidhi
- Source entry
- HadeethEnc · 6106 ↗
Original Arabic wording
عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ البَاهِلِيِّ رَضيَ اللهُ عنه قَالَ: ذُكِرَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلاَنِ أَحَدُهُمَا عَابِدٌ وَالآخَرُ عَالِمٌ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَضْلُ العَالِمِ عَلَى العَابِدِ كَفَضْلِي عَلَى أَدْنَاكُمْ»، ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلاَئِكَتَهُ وَأَهْلَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرَضِينَ حَتَّى النَّمْلَةَ فِي جُحْرِهَا وَحَتَّى الحُوتَ لَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَى مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ الخَيْرَ».Understand this hadith
Two men were mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): one of them a devout worshipper and the other a scholar, and he was asked which of them is better? He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: The superiority of the scholar who possesses religious knowledge, acts upon it, and teaches it, over the devout worshipper who is devoted to worship while only knowing what is obligatory for him of knowledge, is like his superiority and honor (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) over the least of his Companions. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained the reason for this superiority: that Allah Almighty, those who bear the Throne from His angels, the inhabitants of the heavens from among all the angels, and the inhabitants of the earth from among humans, jinn, and all animals, even the ant in its hole deep in the earth, and the fish in the sea—thus including the creatures of both land and sea—all of them supplicate for good for the one who teaches people the religious knowledge that leads to their salvation and success.
Lessons from the hadith
- Among the methods of calling to Allah is using encouragement and giving parables (examples).
- The great honor of the scholars is that they have acquired knowledge and fulfilled its duties through practice and calling others to it.
- Encouragement to respect scholars and the knowledge seekers and to supplicate for them.
- Encouragement to teach people goodness, as it is a means of their salvation and happiness.
References (original Arabic)
سنن الترمذي (4/ 416) (2685). كنوز رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (16/ 481). مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح، لعلي القاري (1/ 298). فيض القدير شرح الجامع الصغير، للمناوي (4/ 432). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (2/ 469). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص758). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (2/ 954).