The virtue of scrupulousness and piety

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this blessed verse: "And these examples We present to people, but none will understand them except those of knowledge" [Surah al-Ankabut: 43], and said: "The scholar is the one who has understood the commands of Allah Almighty and His knowledge, then performed acts of obedience and submission to Him, and completely avoided the deeds that bring His displeasure and wrath."
Imam al-Harith bin Abi Usamah narrated this hadith in his Musnad; its chain contains a narrator named Dawud bin al-Muhabbar, who is extremely weak and matruk (abandoned), on account of which this narration is severely weak in its chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most excellent of people is the one who is the most intelligent of them."
Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "And that (being, most surpassing in intellect and wisdom) is your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that a Christian merchant from the people of Jurash arrived, a man of eloquence and dignified bearing. Someone (seeing him) said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), how intelligent this Christian is!" So he (peace and blessings be upon him) sternly rebuked the one who had said it and said: "Mah! (Do not say that; be quiet!) Truly, the intelligent one is he who does deeds of obedience to Allah, the Blessed and Exalted."
[Takhrij: Ibn Abi al-Dunya recorded this hadith in 'Kitab al-Aql' (35) and al-Bayhaqi in 'Shu'ab al-Iman' (4312); its chain contains a narrator named Abbad bin Mansur, who is da'if (weak) according to the majority.]

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah and Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would often say: "O son of Adam, be mindful of your Lord (have taqwa), treat your parents with kindness and goodness, and maintain ties with your relatives; (by the blessing of these deeds) your life will be lengthened, the means of ease and comfort will be made available to you, the burden of your hardship and difficulty will be lightened, and your provision will be made abundant and wide. O son of Adam, obey your Lord and you will be called a man of intellect, and do not disobey your Lord, or else your name will be counted among the ignorant (that is, you will be called ignorant)."
[Takhrij: Musnad al-Harith (Bughyat al-Bahith): 1010; al-Matalib al-'Aliyah: 2514; al-Albani said in al-Silsilah al-Da'ifah (5202): da'if (weak).]

It is narrated from Humayd bin Hilal (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The death of a thousand worshippers who stand in prayer by night and fast by day is lighter (less grave) than the death of a single person of insight and intellect who has gained understanding of the commands and religion of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, so that he came to know what Allah has made lawful for him and what He has made unlawful for him; then he himself benefited from his knowledge and brought benefit to people through it as well, even if he does not add very much (in abundant voluntary worship) to the obligations that Allah Almighty has made obligatory upon him. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said the same."
This narration is found in Imam al-Bayhaqi's book Shu'ab al-Iman (3309).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna al-Bara' bin Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Truly, Allah, Glorified and Exalted, has certain chosen and special servants whom He will settle in the lofty and exalted stations of Paradise; they were the people of the greatest intellect and understanding among mankind." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said (describing their qualities): "They are the people whose entire concern is to race one another in seeking the pleasure of their Lord and to hasten towards the deeds that please Him. They renounced the world, its useless excesses and its leadership and positions, and it (the world) became utterly insignificant in their eyes. So they were patient for a short while (in the passing life of this world), and then (in the Hereafter) they attained long, everlasting rest and comfort."
Imam al-Bayhaqi recorded this hadith in 'al-Zuhd al-Kabir'; its chain contains Hanzalah bin Wada'ah and his father, who are majhul (unknown), and for that reason this narration is da'if (weak) in its chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu al-Darda' (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Truly, the ignorant person (by his conduct) exposes nothing but evil and fault, however perceptive and well-spoken he may be in the eyes of people; and truly, the person of intellect (from himself) reveals nothing but goodness and virtue, however inarticulate and lowly he may be in the eyes of people."
Imam al-Bayhaqi recorded this narration in 'Shu'ab al-Iman', but because its chain contains Maysarah bin Abd Rabbih, a liar, the hadith scholars have declared it mawdu' (fabricated).

It is narrated from Abu Qatadah and Abu al-Dahma' (may Allah have mercy on them both), who used to travel frequently towards the House of Allah, that they said: We came to a man of the desert, and that Bedouin Companion told us: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) took me by the hand and began teaching me some of the knowledge that Allah Almighty had taught him (peace and blessings be upon him). Among the sayings I have remembered is that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whatever you give up out of mindfulness and fear of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, Allah Almighty will give you in its place something better than it."
Imam Ahmad recorded it in al-Musnad (23074), and its chain is sahih (authentic).

It is narrated from al-Hakam bin Mina' that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him): "Gather for me those of Quraysh who are here." So he gathered them, then said: O Messenger of Allah, will you go out to them, or shall they come in to you? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Rather, I will go out to them myself." So he (peace and blessings be upon him) came out and asked: "O people of Quraysh, is there anyone among this gathering of yours other than yourselves (any outsider)?" They said: No, except the sons of our sisters (our nephews). So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The son of a people's sister is counted as one of them." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O people of Quraysh, know well that the closest of people to the Prophet, and the most entitled to him, are those who are God-fearing. So take great care that it does not happen that on the Day of Resurrection the people come bringing righteous deeds, while you come carrying the burden of the world (its love and wealth) upon yourselves, and then I turn my face away from you." Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited this blessed verse: "Indeed, the people most worthy of Ibrahim are those who followed him, and this Prophet and those who believe; and Allah is the Protector of the believers." [Surah Al Imran: 68]
Imam Abu Ya'la recorded this hadith in his Musnad.