Sayyiduna Abud-Dardaa' رضي الله عنه narrated, "I heard the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم saying,
'Whoever treads a path seeking knowledge, Allaah سبحانه و تعالى will make easy for him the path to Paradise. Indeed, the Angels lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge out of contentment for the seeker of knowledge. Verily, all those in the heavens and on earth, even the fish in the depths of the sea ask forgiveness for him. Verily, the virtue of the scholar over the worshipper is like the virtue of the moon on the night of al-Badr over all of the stars. Indeed, the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, for the Prophets do not leave behind deenaar or dirham for inheritance, but rather, they leave behind knowledge. And he who acquires it, has in fact acquired an abundant portion.'"
(Hadeeth Hasan li Ghairihi. Related by Ahmad in his Musnad (5/196), ad-Daarimee (1/361 Hadeeth #354), at-Tirmidhi in Kitaab al-'Ilm Baab Maa Jaa'a fee Fadlil Fiqh 'alaa al-'Ibaadah (Hadeeth #2682), Aboo Daawood fee Kitaab al-'Ilm Baab al-Hath 'alaa Talab al-'Ilm (Hadeeth #3641), Ibn Maajah in al-Muqaddimah Baab Fadlul 'Ulamaa wal Hath 'alaa Talab al-'Ilm (Hadeeth #223), and Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (al-Ihsaan 1/289 Hadeeth #88), and the wording is his)
al-Khattaabee رحمه الله said, "The statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, 'Indeed, the Angels عليهم الصلاة والسلام lower their wings for the seeker of knowledge,' can be interpreted in several ways, the first being that 'lowering the wings' refers to them humbling and lowering themselves, out of respect for his right and esteem for his knowledge." (Ma'aalim as-Sunan, vol. 5, p. 243)
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said concerning this Hadeeth: "This is from the greatest of the virtues of the scholars, since the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام are the best of Allaah's creation. So this means that their inheritors are the best of creation after them. Everyone that leaves behind inheritance has his property transfer over to his heirs, since they are the ones who will take his place after him. There is no one that will take the place of the Messengers عليهم الصلاة والسلام, in spreading what they were sent with after them except the scholars. Therefore, they are the ones who have the most right to receive that inheritance.
This indicates that the scholars are the closest people to the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام, since inheritance is only passed down to those closest to the one leaving behind inheritance. So, just as this is established when talking about monetary inheritance, likewise it applies to the prophetic inheritance. And Allaah سبحانه و تعالى specifies the granting of His Mercy to whom He wills.
This Hadeeth also contains guidance for the Ummah to obey them, respect them, have esteem for them, and honour them, since they are the inheritors and successors of those who possess these (above) rights over the Ummah (i.e. the Prophets).
Likewise, holding enmity for them and waging war against them is the same as holding enmity and waging war with Allaah سبحانه و تعالى, as is the case with those whom they are inheriting from (i.e. the Prophets).
Sayyiduna 'Alee رضي الله عنه said, 'Loving the scholars is the Religion one worships Allaah سبحانه و تعالى with.'
The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم reported from his Lord سبحانه و تعالى, that He said, 'Whoever acts with enmity towards a friend (wali) of Mine, I declare war upon him.' [Related by Imaam al-Bukhaaree] The inheritors of the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام are the most noble and foremost of Allaah's friends.
There is also an indication in this Hadeeth for the scholars to abide by the guidance of the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام and the methods they used in spreading the Religion, such as patience, forbearance, confronting the revilement of the people with kindness, being gentle with them, drawing them towards Allaah سبحانه و تعالى through the best ways, and expending all kinds of efforts in advising them. For by doing this, they will achieve their share of this inheritance that is great in status and honourable in significance.
This Hadeeth also reminds the scholars to raise the Ummah just as a father brings up his child. So they should raise them step by step, starting with the small forms of knowledge and then progressing onto the bigger forms of knowledge, imposing as much knowledge into them as they can, just as a father does with his infant child when he brings his meal to him. This is because the souls of humans with respect to the Prophets and Messengers are just like children with respect to their fathers. Rather they fall short of this status by far. This is why every soul that is not cultivated by the Messengers عليهم الصلاة والسلام will not prosper and will not be made upright.
As for the saying of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, 'The Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام do not leave behind deenaar or dirham for inheritance, but rather, they leave behind knowledge,' this is from the completeness of the Prophets and their vast sincerity towards the Ummah." [End of Ibn al-Qayyims words, quoted in 'Interaction with the Scholars, Shaykh Baazmool]
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali رحمه الله said, "This means that they inherit what the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام brought from knowledge. So they act as the Prophets' successors (Khulafaa') in each of their nations, in terms of calling to Allaah سبحانه و تعالى to obeying Him, forbidding disobedience of Him, and defending the Religion of Allaah." [Talabul-'Ilm, p. 46]
Aboo Haatim Ibn Hibbaan رحمه الله said, "In this Hadeeth is a clear explanation that the scholars have virtues that we have mentioned. They know and understand the knowledge of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Do you not see that he says the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام? The Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام only leave knowledge as an inheritance, and knowledge of our Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is his Sunnah. So whoever neglects its knowledge is not from its inheritors." [al-Ihsaan bi Taqreeb Saheeh Ibn Hibbaan (1/295 under #88)]
Imaam Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said, "The statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, 'The Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام do not leave deenaar or dirham as an inheritance, but rather they leave knowledge as an inheritance,' this is from the perfection of the Prophets, the magnitude of their admonition to their nations, and the completion of Allaah's blessing upon them and their nations, removing all defects and severing all means that cause weakness in some of the souls. According to another Hadeeth, “We do not leave inheritance. What we leave behind is charity.” (Saheeh Muslim, Kitab al-Jihad was-Siyar, no. 49) So the Prophets عليهم الصلاة والسلام do not leave deenaar or dirham as an inheritance, but rather they leave knowledge as an inheritance.
As for the statement of Allaah, the Exalted, "And Sulaymaan inherited Daawood." [Sooratun-Naml, 27:16]
It is none other than the inheritance of knowledge and prophethood by total consensus of the people of knowledge amongst the scholar of Tafseer and others. This is because Daawood عليه الصلاة و السلام had many children besides Sulaymaan عليه الصلاة و السلام. Had the inheritance been wealth then it would not be restricted to Sulaymaan عليه الصلاة و السلام. Additionally, what precedes the verse and what succeeds it clarifies that the intent of this inheritance is the inheritance of knowledge and prophethood and not the inheritance of wealth:
"And indeed We gave knowledge to Daawood and Sulaymaan. They both said: 'All the praises and thanks are to Allaah Who has preferred us above manu of His believing servants!' And Sulaymaan inherited from Daawood." (Sooratun-Naml, 27:15-16)
The context clarifies the virtues of Sulaymaan عليه الصلاة و السلام and what Allaah سبحانه و تعالى specified him with of honour and inheritance that his father possessed, and the paramount gifts are knowledge and prophethood.
"Verily, this is an evident grace." (Sooratun-Naml, 27:16)
Likewise is the statement of Zakariyyah عليه الصلاة و السلام:
"And verily, I fear (for) my relatives after me, and my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir. Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya'qoob. And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-Pleased!" (Soorah Maryam, 19:5-6)
This is the inheritance of knowledge, prophethood, and calling to Allaah. [Miftaah Daar as-Sa'aadah, 1/66-67]
Fadak
The issue of Fadak is a favorite topic for the Shia, and the story (in collusion with spiteful rhetoric) is one that the Shia children grow up on. The Shia propagandists feel no qualms in rabble-rousing and exploiting Fadak by reviving Fitnah and disagreements that died hundreds of years ago. On the other hand, the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah does not focus on the story of Fadak, namely to prevent senseless Fitnah and out of respect for Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه) and Fatima (رضّى الله عنها), two of the great personalities of Islam.
Because of the fact that the issue of Fadak is not a center of focus in Sunni circles, many Sunni youth do not have the details about this event and most haven’t even heard of it. Meanwhile, the Shia youth are trained with propaganda points to assault the unknowing Sunnis with. This imbalance of knowledge leads to a quick “victory” for the Shia propagandists.
The reality, however, is that the Shia version of Fadak is completely biased, contrary to the facts, and yet another typical Taqiyyah-oriented deception and manipulation of history designed to malign Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه). We find that a fair analysis of Fadak not only absolves Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه) of all wrong doing, but it also exposes the falsity of the Shia paradigm.
Fadak was the name of a property that the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) personally owned. Upon the Prophet’s death (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم), Fatima (رضّى الله عنها) expected to inherit Fadak, but Caliph Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه) refused to give it to her and he instead donated it to the state as charity. Based on this event, the Shia villify Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه) for “stealing” land from the daughter of the Prophet.
The reason Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه) did not–and Islamically could not–give Fadak to Fatima (رضّى الله عنها) was because the Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) had declared that the Prophets do not leave behind inheritance. Prophets are awarded special financial privelages in order to aid them in their mission to spread Islam; Prophet Muhammad (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) got a portion of the Khums on the very basis that he was a Prophet. It is thus not an absurd stipulation that their inheritance too has a special set of rules distinct from non-prophets. Both Sunni and Shia Hadith confirm that the property of Prophets is left behind as charity and not to be awarded as inheritance.
Hadith
Let us now examine Sunni Hadith on the topic of Prophets and inheritance. Prophet Muhammad (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) said:
“We do not leave inheritance. What we leave behind is charity.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Jihad was-Siyar, no. 49)
“We, the Prophets, do not leave heirs.” (Musnad Ahmad, vol. 2 p. 462)
This is confirmed in Shia Hadith as well. Let us examine Shia Hadith in Al-Kafi, the most reliable of the four Shia books of Hadith, on the same matter:
“The Prophets did not leave dinars and dirhams as inheritance, but they left knowledge.” (al-Kafi, vol. 1 p. 42)
This Shia Hadith in Al-Kafi has two separate narrations, and is considered Sahih by the Shia. The authenticity is confirmed by Ayatollah Khomeini, who used this Hadith to prove his claim of Wilayah al-Faqih. Khomeini said about the Hadith:
“The narrators of this tradition are all reliable and trustworthy. The father of ‘Ali ibn Ibrahim [namely Ibrahim ibn Hashim] is not only reliable, [but in fact] he is one of the most reliable and trustworthy narrators.”
(source: Khomeini, al-Hukumat al-Islamiyyah, p. 133, published by Markaz Baqiyyat Allah al-A’zam, Beirut)
So we wonder why this Hadith is reliable enough to prove Wilayah al-Faqih, but suddenly it is not used by the Shia to defend Abu Bakr’s (رضّى الله عنه) position?
Do we not then see that the statement made by Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه) about Prophets not giving inheritance is the same statement that was made by Imam Sadiq (رضّى الله عنه) whom the Shia consider to be infallible? Allamah Al-Majlisi declared that the Hadith “do[es] not fall short of being Sahih.” And Ayatollah Khomeini considered it to be so Sahih that he used it to prove his Wilayah al-Faqih. If Abu Bakr (رضّى الله عنه) is to be considered a liar for quoting this Hadith, then would the Shia also accept that Imam Sadiq (رضّى الله عنه), Allamah Majlisi, and Ayatollah Khomeini are also liars by same logic?
This Shia Hadith is referenced on Al-Shia.com, one of the most reliable of the Shia websites:
Hadith 57, Chapter 4, h 1
“The prophets did not leave any Dirham or Dinar (wealth) as their inheritance but they did leave knowledge as their inheritance.”
(source: Al-Shia.com,
www.al-shia.com/html/eng/books/hadith/al-kafi/part2/part2...)
The Prophet (صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم) is recorded as saying:
“What we leave behind is to become alms.” (Hadith ash-Shafi)
The truth is that the Shia has no leg to stand upon since we point to their own Al-Kafi. http://www.schiiten.com/backup/AhlelBayt.com/www.ahlelbayt.com/articles/sahabah/fadak1.html
See also: Virtues of Knowledge which is Learnt and Taught for the sake of Allah - http://www.muftisays.com/forums/53-duaas--supplications/5075-virtues-of-knowledge-which-is-learnt-and-taught-for-the-sake-of-allah.html