"It is only those who have knowledge amongst His slaves that fear Allāh." [Sūrah al-Fātir (35:28)]
Sayyidinā Abū Hurayra (رضي الله عنه) narrates that the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Whoever follows a path to seek knowledge, Allāh will make easy his path to Paradise."
[Musnad Ahmad #7965 - Sunan at-Tirmidhī #2646]
Sayyidinā Abū ad-Dardā (رضي الله عنه) narrates that he heard the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: "The scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets, for the Prophets did not leave behind Dinars and Dirhams (i.e as inheritance), but they left behind knowledge."
[Musnad Ahmad #20723 - Sunan at-Tirmidhī #2682]
The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: "Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim." [Sahīh Sunan Ibn Mājah #224]
"Shall I not tell you who the real Faqīh is? He is one who does not make people despair of God's mercy, yet he does not give them concessions to disobey Allāh. He does not make them feel safe from God's plan and he does not leave the Qur°ān."
Amīr al-Mu°minīn ˤAlī ibn Abī Tālib (رضي الله عنه)
"All humans are dead, except those who have knowledge - And all those who have knowledge are asleep, except those who do good deeds - And those who do good deeds are deceived, except those who are sincere - And those who are sincere are always in a state of worry."
Imām al-Shāfīˤī (رحيمه الله)
"Learn, learn, and once you have learned, act."
Sayyidinā ˤAbd-Allāh ibn Masˤūd (رضي الله عنه)
"Seek knowledge, because seeking it for the sake of Allāh is a worship. And knowing it makes you more God-fearing; and searching for it is Jihād (a struggle), teaching it to those who do not know is charity, reviewing and learning it more is like tasbîh (glorifying God). Through knowledge Allāh will be known and worshipped. With the knowledge Allāh will elevate people and make them leaders and imams, who will in turn guide other people."
Sayyidinā Muˤādh ibn Jabal (رضي الله عنه)
[Majmūˤ-al-Fatāwā li Ibn Taymiyyah (10/39)]
A poet once said: "If claims are not supported by proof, they are used only by the fools as evidence"