Saya pernah ditegur oleh seorang teman "Jangan main-mainkan ulama kerana ulama pewaris Nabi!" And sebelum itu, saya kerap dengar ungkapan yang yang sama. Jenuh bertahun saya mencari nas asalnya. So bila dimomokkan lagi begitu saya teruskan pencarian. Finally kurang dari 6 bulan dulu saya jumpa nas asal yang berikut:
Narrated Abu al Darda':
Kathir ibn Qays said: I was sitting with AbudDarda' in the mosque of Damascus.
A man came to him and said: AbudDarda, I have come to you from the town of the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) for a tradition that I have heard you relate from the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him). I have come for no other purpose.
He said: I heard the Apostle of Allah (peace_be_upon_him) say: If anyone travels on a road in search of knowledge, Allah will cause him to travel on one of the roads of Paradise. The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge, the inhabitants of the heavens and the Earth and the fish in the deep waters will ask forgiveness for the learned man. The superiority of the learned man over the devout is like that of the moon, on the night when it is full, over the rest of the stars. The learned are the heirs of the Prophets, and the Prophets leave neither dinar nor dirham, leaving only knowledge, and he who takes it takes an abundant portion. Sunan Abu Daud 25:3634.
Ternyata yang dinyatakan Rasullullah s.a.w ialah "para ilmuan pewaris para nabi!" Tu yang lama tak jumpa kerana yang dicari keyword "ulama pewaris nabi".
Dr Shafie Abu Bakar dalam tulisannya "Cabaran terhadap ulama" menyatakan pengiktirafan (ulama) diperkukuhkan lagi dengan firman-Nya bermaksud: Sesungguhnya yang takut kepada Allah daripada kalangan hamba-hambanya ialah ulama. (Fatir, 35: 28). Semakan di Quran yang saya buat sekali lagi menunjukkan 'ulama' yang sebenarnya dimaksudkan ialah para ilmuan.
And of men and beasts and cattle are various species of it likewise; those of His servants only who are possessed of knowledge fear Allah; surely Allah is Mighty, Forgiving. (Fatir 38)
Di satu ayat yang lain dinyatakan lagi "ilmuan".
O you who believe! when it is said to you, Make room in (your) assemblies, then make ample room, Allah will give you ample, and when it is said: Rise up, then rise up. Allah will exalt those of you who believe, and those who are given knowledge, in high degrees; and Allah is Aware of what you do. (Al Mujadala 11)
Saya kemudiannya bertanya seorang pensyarah PhD bidang hadith. Kata ustaz "Yes ulama dalam hadith itu yang dimaksudkan sebenarnya para ilmuan. Tapi ramai 'ulama (ugama)' yang mensempitkan kononnya hanya untuk mereka! Contohnya seorang pakar logam adalah pewaris Daud a.s., seorang pakar ekonomi adalah pewaris Yusof a.s., seorang pakar pembuatan kapal adalah pewaris Noh a.s."
