Tradition n. 111

قالَ رَسُولُ الله صلی الله عليه و آله و سلم:

صِنفانِ مِن اُمَّتي إذا صَلَحا صَلَحَت اُمَّتي وَ إذا فَسَـدا فَسَـدَت اُمَّتي، قيلَ يا رَسُولَ الله وَ مَن هُمَا؟ قالَ: اَلفُقَهاءُ و الأُمَراءُ.

The Holy Prophet (S) said: “There are two groups of my Ummah that when they are pious, my Ummah will be upright and when they are immoral my Ummah will be corrupt.”

The Messenger of Allah (S) was asked who they were, and he answered: “The religious scholars and rulers.”

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 49

Tradition n. 112

قالَ الإمامُ الباقِرُ عليه السلام :

إذا جَلَستَ إِلى عالِمٍ فَكُن عَلى أَن تَسمَـعَ أَح رَصَ مِن ـكَ عَلى أَن تَقُولَ وَ تَعَلَّم حُسنَ الاِستِماعِ كَما تَتَعَلَّـمُ حُسنَ القَـولِ وَلا تَقطَع عَلى اَحَدٍ حَديثَهُ.

Imam al-Baqir (‘a) said: “When confronting a sage, try to be more inquisitive than talkative, and learn how to listen well as much as you learn how to speak well, and do not interrupt the statement of anyone.”

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 1, p. 222

Tradition n. 113

قالَ رَسُولُ الله صلی الله عليه و آله و سلم:

يا عَلِيُّ تَمَنّى جَبرَئيلُ أَن يَكُونَ مِن بَني آدَمَ بِسَبـعِ خِصالٍ: وَ هِىَ الصَلاةُ فِي الجَماعَة، وَ مُجالَسَةُ العُلَمـاءِ، وَالصلـحُ بَيـنَ الإِثنَينِ، وَ اِكرامُ اليتيمِ، وَ عِيادَة المَريضِ، وَ تَشييعُ الجِنازَة، وَ سَقيُ الماءِ فِي الحَجِّ، فَاح رِص عَلى ذلِكَ.

The Holy Prophet (S) said: “O' ‘Ali! Gabriel wished to become a human being for seven reasons, which are:

1. Congregational prayer.

2. Companionship with scholars.

3. Establishing peace between two persons.

4. Honouring the orphans.

5. Visiting the sick.

6. Attending a funeral procession.

7. Giving of water to Pilgrims.

8. Then, be desirous of these things.”

Al -'Ithna 'Ashariyyah, p. 245

Tradition n. 114

قالَ الإمامُ أَميرُ المُؤمنينَ عَلِيّ عليه السلام :

إنّ َكَـلامَ الحُكَمـاءِ إذا كانَ صَـوابًا كانَ دَواءً، وَ إذا كانَ خَطَـأ كانَ داءً.

Imam Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (‘a) said: “When the utterance of the wise is to the point, it serves as a remedy, but if it is wrong it proves like an illness.”

Nahjul-Balagha, saying No. 265

Tradition n. 115

قالَ الإمامُ العَسكَرِيّ عليه السلام :

عُلَماءُ شيعَتِنا مُرابِطُونَ فِي الثَّغـرِ فَمَـنِ انتَصَـبَ لِذلِـكَ مِـن شيعَتِنا كانَ أَفضَلَ مِمَّن جَاهَدَ الرومَ... لاِ َنَّـهُ يَدفَعُ عَـن أَديانِ مُحِبّينا.

Imam Hasan al-’Askari, the eleventh Imam, (‘a) said:

“The scholars of our followers (Shi'ah) are the guards of the bounds of Islam. Then, anyone of our followers who undertakes this (duty) is superior to the one who fights in the battle against the Romans, (because this one defends the theological bounds of our followers).”

Al-Ihtijaj, vol. 2, p. 155

Tradition n. 116

قالَ الإمامُ الرِّضا عليه السلام :

ألا إنَّ الفَقيــهَ مَن اَفاضَ عَلَى النّاسِ خَيـرَهُ و أَن قَـذَهُـم مِـن اَعدائِهم وَ وَفَّرَ عليهم نِعَمَ جَنانِ الله وَ حَصَّـلَ لَهُـم رِضـوانَ الله تَعالى.

Imam Ridha’, the eighth Imam, (‘a) said: “Beware that surely a (true religious) jurist is he who pours forth his benediction unto people, saves them from their enemies, multiplies the blessings of Heaven for them, and earns the Pleasure of Allah the Exalted, for them (through guidance).”

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 5

Tradition n. 117

قالَ الإمامُ أَميرُ المُؤمنينَ عَلِيّ عليه السلام :

... فَاِنَّ العالِمَ أَعظَمُ أَجرًا مِنَ الصّائِمِ القائِمِ المُجاهِدِ في سَبيلِ الله فَاِذَا ماتَ العالِمُ ثُلِمَ فِي الاِسلامِ ثُلمَةٌ لا يَسُدّها إلاّ خَلَـفٌ مِنهُ.

Imam Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (‘a) said: “ ...The reward of a religious scholar is greater than the reward of a person who is fasting on days and establishes prayers during the night and fights in the Holy War for the sake of Allah. And, when a religious scholar dies, there will appear a gap in Islam which cannot be compensated except by a replacement of that (kind).”

Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 2, p. 43

Tradition n. 118

قالَ الإمامُ أَميرُ المُؤمنينَ عَلِيّ عليه السلام :

هَلَكَ خُـزّانُ الاَمـوالِ وَ هُم أَحياءٌ، وَ العُلَمـاءُ باقُونَ ما بَقِيَ الدَّهرُ، أَعيانُهُم مَفقُودَةٌ، وَ أَمثالُهُم فِي القُلُوبِ مَوجُودَة.

Imam Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali (‘a) told Kumayl: O' Kumayl! Those who compile wealth are dead even though they may be living, while the sages (who are endowed with knowledge) will remain as long as the world remains. Their bodies perish but their depictions will exist in the hearts.”

Nahjul-Balagha, saying No.147

Tradition n. 119

قالَ الإمامُ الحُسَينُ عليه السلام :

...اِنَّ مَجارِيَ الاُمُـورِ والأحكامِ عَلى أَيدِي العُلَمـاءِ بِالله، اَلامَناءِ عَلى حَلالِهِ وَ حَرامِهِ... .

Imam Husayn (‘a) said: “...Verily, the paths to Muslims' affairs and the religious ordinances are in the hands of the godly scholars who are the trusties of Allah in His lawful and unlawful things. ...”

Tuhaf al-’Uqul, p.172