Mishkat al-Masabih #235
Knowledge
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
وَعَنْهُ مُرْسَلًا قَالَ: سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ رَجُلَيْنِ كَانَا فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَحَدُهُمَا كَانَ عَالِمًا يُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ فَيُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ الْخَيْرَ وَالْآخِرُ يَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَيَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ أَيُّهُمَا أَفْضَلُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «فَضْلُ هَذَا الْعَالِمِ الَّذِي يُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ ثُمَّ يَجْلِسُ فَيُعَلِّمُ النَّاسَ الْخَيْرَ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ الَّذِي يَصُومُ النَّهَارَ وَيَقُومُ اللَّيْلَ كَفَضْلِي عَلَى أَدْنَاكُمْ» . رَوَاهُ الدَّارِمِيُّ
He also reported in mursal form that God’s messenger was asked
which of two men who had been among the B. Isra’il was superior, one
who was a learned man who observed the prescribed prayers, then sat
and taught men what is good, the other who fasted by day and prayed
during the night. He replied, “The superiority of this learned man who
observed the prescribed prayers, then sat and taught men what is good
over the devout man who fasted by day and prayed during the night is
like my superiority over the most contemptible among you.” Darimi
transmitted it.
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About Mishkat al-Masabih
This hadith is #235 from Mishkat al-Masabih, in the Book of Knowledge.