Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Become a scholar, or a learner, or a listener, and do not be the fourth type, lest you be destroyed.
Hadith Referenceسنن دارمي / مقدمه / 254
Hadith Gradingتحقیق (حسین سلیم أسد الدارانی):إسناده ضعيف الحسن هو البصري وقد عنعن، [مكتبه الشامله نمبر: 254]
Hadith Takhrijاس اثر کی سند بھی ضعیف ہے، لیکن اس کے شواہد موجود ہیں۔ دیکھئے: [مصنف ابن أبى شيبة 6171] ، [المعرفة والتاريخ 399/3] ، [العلم 116] ، [الإحكام 1045/6]
Brief Explanation
(Commentary on Hadiths 245 to 254)
In this, the virtue of the scholar (‘alim), the learner (muta‘allim), and the listener (mustami‘) is described, and there is an exhortation not to become the fourth type of person, because there is a danger of destruction in that.