Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "The scholar has been given superiority over the worshipper by seventy (70) degrees; between every two degrees is a distance as great as that between the sky and the earth."
Abu Ya'la recorded it; its chain contains al-Khalil bin Murrah. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He is munkar al-hadith (his narrations are rejected). Ibn Adi said: I have not seen any munkar hadith (narrated from him); he is among those whose hadith is to be written down, and he is not matruk (abandoned).
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب العلم / 498
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ ضعیف
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه الامام ابو يعلي فى مسنده 853 مقصد على 104 ، أخرجه إتحاف الخيرة المهرة بزوائد المسانيد العشرة برقم: 289»