I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "The scholars are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets did not bequeath a Dinar or a dirham, they bequeathed only knowledge. Whoever takes hold of it has taken an abundant share."
سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: إن العلماء هم ورثة الأنبياء لم يورثوا دينارا ولا درهما، وإنما ورثوا العلم، فمن أخذ به أخذ بحظ وافر.
It was narrated by Abu Dawud (3641), Tirmidhi (2682), Ibn Majah (223), and Ahmad (21715), all of them through the hadith of Asim bin Raja bin Haywa, from Dawud bin Jameel, from Kathir bin Qays, from Abu Darda, who mentioned it as part of a long hadith. Some of them did not mention Dawud bin Jameel between Asim bin Raja and Kathir. Its chain is hasan due to the large number of its routes. Kathir bin Qays is also called Qays bin Kathir, though the first is more common. For further sourcing, see the chapter on those who set out in pursuit of knowledge.As for what is reported, "The scholars of my nation are like the prophets of Banu Israil," it has no basis. Sakhawi said in Maqasid Hasana (702), Our teacher (meaning Ibn Hajar), and before him Damiri and Zarkashi, said, "It has no basis," and some of them added, "It is not known in any reliable book." Likewise, what is reported from Ibn Abbas as a raised report, "The people closest in rank to prophethood are the people of knowledge and jihad," is not sound. It was narrated by Abu Naeem in Fadl al-Alim al-Afif with a daif chain, as stated by Sakhawi in Maqasid Hasana at the place indicated above.