Yahya bin Yaman said: I heard Sufyan, may Allah have mercy on him, saying for forty years: Seeking hadith has never been more virtuous than it is today. People asked Sufyan, may Allah have mercy on him: People seek hadith without intention. He said: Their seeking itself is the intention.
Mujahid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: We sought this knowledge without any great intention, then Allah the Exalted later granted us (righteous) intention.
Imam Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) said: People sought knowledge even though, by means of it, they did not intend Allah nor what is with Allah. He said: They continued to acquire knowledge until their intention became sincere, and they intended Allah and what is with Allah.
Hadith Referenceسنن دارمي / مقدمه / 371
Hadith Gradingتحقیق (حسین سلیم أسد الدارانی):حسان بن مسلم ما وجدت له ترجمة وباقي رجاله ثقات. وما وجدته مسندا في غير هذا الموضع، [مكتبه الشامله نمبر: 372]
Hadith Takhrijاس روایت میں حسان بن مسلم کے بارے میں معلوم نہ ہو سکا کہ وہ کون ہیں، باقی رواة معروفين وثقات ہیں۔ دیکھئے: [جامع بيان العلم 1383 ذكره بدون سند]