The only inheritance of the prophets — passed on by anyone who studies.
Narrated by Abū al-Dardāʾ (أبو الدرداء)
إِنَّ الأَنْبِيَاءَ لَمْ يُوَرِّثُوا دِينَارًا وَلاَ دِرْهَمًا، وَإِنَّمَا وَرَّثُوا الْعِلْمَ، فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ أَخَذَ بِحَظٍّ وَافِرٍ
"The prophets did not leave dīnār nor dirham as inheritance. They left only knowledge. Whoever takes it has taken an abundant share."
A hadith that reframes every hour spent with the classical sciences. The one who sits with the books of al-Ghazali, Ibn Kathir, al-Nawawi is taking a direct inheritance from the prophets — not a metaphorical one. This is why the classical scholars insisted on the etiquette of study: you are holding something someone died to preserve.
Passages that draw on this hadith
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"for if they looked with insight, they would know that knowledge is of two types, knowledge of interaction and knowledge of unveiling, which is the knowledge of Allah and His attributes, commonly referred to as the knowledge of understanding. As for the knowledge related to transactions,"
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"end before their clarification. Our knowledge compared to that which prophets and scholars encompass is insignificant, and even their knowledge is but a drop in the ocean of what is exclusive to God. The knowledge we possess is not worthy of being called knowledge next to God's infinite"
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"The most learned surpasses the most ignorant only by a finite amount of knowledge that the ignorant might attain through effort. In contrast, God's knowledge surpasses all of creation's knowledge beyond measure, for His knowledge is infinite, while the knowledge of creation is finite."
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"Chapter 6. On the Afflictions of Knowledge and the Signs of Scholars of the Hereafter and the Bad Scholars. We have discussed the merit of knowledge and scholars and there is significant emphasis in the texts about bad scholars, indicating that they will face"
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"Know that there are two categories, the knowledge of unveiling and the knowledge of transactions. The first category, the knowledge of unveiling, is the knowledge of the inner realm and the ultimate form of sciences. Some mystics have said that one who lacks a share in this knowledge"
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"deciding whether to remain silent in four matters, except for knowledge. The loss of knowledge is not feared unless one is negligent, as no one can strip another of their knowledge, unlike health, safety, wealth, and possessions. This is one reason for the honor of knowledge,"
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"and composed, those who abstain from anger, emulate prophets, saints, scholars, and wise people. One should choose whether to resemble dogs, beasts, and the lowest of people, or to emulate scholars and prophets in their habits. To incline oneself towards loving to emulate"
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"for such whisperings, as they are common among laypeople, not scholars. Laypeople should focus on belief, submission, and worship, leaving knowledge to scholars. Engaging in theft or adultery would be less harmful than speaking about Allah without proper knowledge,"