leave behind a single dinar or dirham; rather, they left as their legacy knowledge, and whoever acquires it has taken a splendid share.” Reported by Abū Dāwūd and al-Tirmidhī.

[Commentary]
The compiler—may Allah have mercy on him—cites under the chapter “The Excellence of Knowledge: Seeking it and Teaching it for the sake of Allah” the hadith of Abū al-Dardāʾ (may Allah be pleased with him) in which the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever travels a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise.” The meaning of this statement has already been discussed.

The same narration of Abū al-Dardāʾ also contains the words: “Indeed, for the scholar those in the heavens and on the earth seek forgiveness—even the fish in the sea.” This shows the merit of knowledge and that the scholars are prayed for by the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, by the fish in the sea, and by the animals on land—everything seeks forgiveness for them.

Do not find it strange that these creatures ask Allah to forgive the scholar, for Allah, exalted is He, says in the Noble Quran on the tongue of Moses (peace be upon him): “Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided it.” Hence, livestock and even insects know their Lord. “The seven heavens, the earth, and all within them glorify Him; there is not a thing that does not glorify His praise, but you do not understand their glorification.” Everything exalts Allah with praise—even the pebbles whose glorification was heard in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ.