Hadith No. 24
“Knowledge is inherited.”
رَوَى أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ [ت274ه] فِي «الْمَحَاسِنِ»[1]، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَنْ رِبْعِيٍّ، عَنِ الْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ -يَعْنِي مُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ الْبَاقِرَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ:
إِنَّ الْعِلْمَ الَّذِي هَبَطَ مَعَ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ لَمْ يُرْفَعْ، وَالْعِلْمُ يُتَوَارَثُ، وَإِنَّهُ لَمْ يَمُتْ عَالِمٌ إِلَّا خَلَّفَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ مَنْ يَعْلَمُ مِثْلَ عِلْمِهِ أَوْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ.
Translation:
Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khālid [Died in 274 AH] has narrated in the book of “Al-Mahāsin”, from his father, from Hammād ibn Isā, from Rib’i, from Fudhayl ibn Yasār that said: Abu Ja’far — meaning Muhammad ibn Ali al-Bāqir — peace be upon him said:
Indeed, the knowledge that descended with Adam peace be upon him, did not go up, and knowledge is inherited, and no knowledgeable one passed away unless he left someone behind who knows like his knowledge or whatever God wants.