The virtue of scholars and sitting with them

Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Luqman said to his son: 'O my son! Make it binding on yourself to sit in the company of the scholars, and listen to the words of the wise (that is, intelligent and experienced people), for Allah Almighty gives life to a dead heart through the light of wisdom just as He gives life to barren land through rain.'"
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain states that Ubaydullah bin Zahr narrated it from Ali bin Yazid, and both of these narrators are da'if (weak); they are not to be used as evidence.

Sayyiduna Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sit with the elders, ask the scholars, and mix with the wise (that is, people of sound understanding)."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir through two routes: one of them is this one, while the other is mawquf (stopping at the Companion). Its chain contains a narrator, Abd al-Malik bin Husayn Abu Malik al-Nakha'i, and he is munkar al-hadith (his narrations are rejected). (Of the two) the mawquf narration is sahih (authentic) in its chain.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "The God-fearing are the chiefs, the jurists (fuqaha', that is, those who have knowledge of the religion) are the leaders, and sitting with them brings increase (in knowledge and goodness)."
(Allamah Haythami says:) I say: This is mentioned in a long hadith which Tabarani recorded in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators have been declared trustworthy.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you pass by the gardens of Paradise, partake of them." The people asked: "O Messenger of Allah! What is meant by the gardens of Paradise?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The gatherings of knowledge."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its chain contains a narrator who is not named.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said (that is, supplicated): "O Allah! Have mercy on my successors (khulafa')." We said: "O Messenger of Allah! Who are your successors?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Those who will come after me, who will narrate my hadiths and teach them to the people."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Awsat; its chain contains a narrator, Ahmad bin Isa bin Abdullah al-Hashimi. Imam Daraqutni (may Allah have mercy on him) says: He is kadhdhab (a liar).

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.

Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "I know some people who are neither prophets nor martyrs, yet on the Day of Resurrection the prophets and martyrs will envy them for their rank and station. They are those who love Allah Almighty and strive to make Him beloved among His creation; they command people to obey Allah Almighty, and when they obey Allah Almighty, Allah Almighty will love them too."
Al-Bazzar recorded it; its chain contains a narrator, Sa'id bin Sallam al-Attar, and he is kadhdhab (a liar).

A man from (the tribe of) Abs relates: Once I was walking with Sulayman along the bank of the river Tigris. He said: "O man from Banu Abs! Go down and drink!" So I drank. Then he said: "Drink (more)!" So I drank. He asked: "How much has the water you drank decreased the Tigris?" I replied: "It has not decreased it at all." He said: "Knowledge is like that too; however much is taken from it, it does not decrease." After this the narrator mentioned the whole narration, which will come later in full in the chapter on asceticism (zuhd), in the chapter on the way of life of the predecessors (salaf).
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its chain contains a narrator who is not named.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "O people! Make it binding on yourselves to acquire knowledge before it is taken away, and its being taken away will be through the departure of the people of knowledge. Make it binding on yourselves to acquire knowledge, for no one knows when he will come to need his knowledge. Make it binding on yourselves to acquire knowledge, but beware of hair-splitting and delving too deep, and make it binding on yourselves to keep to the 'atiq (the old, original way), for soon there will come people who will recite the Book of Allah, but they will cast it behind their backs."
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and the narrator named Abu Qilabah did not hear from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him).

Sayyiduna Tha'labah bin al-Hakam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection Allah Almighty will say to the scholars, at the time when He sits upon His Kursi to judge between His servants, (He will say): 'I placed My knowledge and My forbearance within you only because I intended to forgive you, whatever shortcomings there may be in you, and I will not mind them.'"
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, and its narrators have been declared trustworthy.

Sayyiduna Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection Allah Almighty will raise up the servants, then He will set the scholars apart and say (to them): 'O company of scholars! I did not place My knowledge within you in order to punish you. Go, for I have forgiven you.'"
Tabarani recorded it in al-Mu'jam al-Kabir; its chain contains a narrator, Musa bin Ubaydah al-Rabadhi, and he is extremely da'if (weak).