Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The scholars are the successors of the prophets." (Allamah Haythami says:) I say: From him the following narration is reported in the Sunan: "The scholars are the heirs of the prophets."
Al-Bazzar recorded it, and its narrators have been declared trustworthy.
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب العلم / 523