"When a person spends his entire day with no other concern but Allaah alone, Allaah, may He be glorified, will take care of all his needs and take care of all that is worrying him; He will empty his heart so that it will be filled only with love for Him, free his tongue so that it will speak only in remembrance of Him (dhikr) and cause all his faculties to work only in obedience to Him. But if a person spends his entire day with no other concern but this world, Allaah will make him bear its distress, anxiety and pain; He will leave him to sort himself out, and cause his heart to be distracted from the love of Allaah towards the love of some created being, cause his tongue to speak only in remembering people instead of remembering Allaah, and cause him to use his talents and energy in obeying and serving them. So he will strive hard, labouring like some work-animal, to serve something other than Allaah… Everyone who turns away from being a true slave of Allaah and obeying Him and loving Him will be burdened with servitude, love and obedience to some created being. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 'And whosoever turns away (blinds himself) from the remembrance of the Most Beneficent (Allaah), We appoint for him a shaytaan (devil) to be a qareen (intimate companion) to him.' [al-Zukhruf 43:36"]
- Al-Fawaa'id, p. 159

" A memoriser of the Quraan should be known for his long night prayers when people are asleep, his fasting when people are eating, his saddness when people are happy, his slience when people are talking nonsense, and his humbleness when people are not. He should be wise, gentle and not talk to much: he should not be rude, negligent, clamorous, nor hot tempered. "
~ Ibn Al Jawzee, Sifaat As-Safwa: 1/413

"Learn Al-Ilm (knowledge), for learning it is a type of khashyah (Fear) of Allaah, seeking it is an act of worship, studying it is a type of Tasbih, searching for it is a Jihaad, teaching it to those who do not know is a charity and delivering it to those worthy of it is an act of drawing closer to Allaah.... it is a weapon to use against the enemies....
Allaah elevates some people by knowledge to the rank of leaders in righteousness who are followed, their actions imitated and their opinions referred to.... with knowledge the slave reaches the ranks of the righteous and the elevated grades in this dunya and the Hereafter. Thinking about knowledge is equivalent to Siyam (fasting), and studying it is equivalent to Qiyam (praying at night voluntarily).... Only the happy ones are endowed with knowledge while the miserable ones are deprived of it."

For complete Khutbah read Jami'u Bayani Al-'Ilm vol.1 p. 66

"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."

"Taqwa is to obey Allah, so that He is not disobeyed, to remember Allah, so that He is not forgotten, and to thank Allah, so that no ingratitude is shown to Him"
- Tafseer of Ibn Abee Hatim (3:102)

"There are six stages to knowledge:

Firstly: Asking questions in a good manner.

Secondly: Remaining quiet and listening attentively.

Thirdly: Understanding well.

Fourthly: Memorising.

Fifthly: Teaching.

Sixthly: and it is its fruit: Acting upon the knowledge and keeping to its limits.

Miftaah Daarus-Sa 'aadah ( p.283).

Knowledge is the tool of action. So if a person spends his whole life gaining knowledge, when will he act?! § Regardless of what knowledge passes you, do not let acting upon what you already know pass you. § Whoever does not look into Allah's right upon him with regards to his knowledge, that knowledge is a proof against you and its result is evil.

“As for seeking to memorise the Qur‘aan, then this is to be given preference over many of the things that the people consider to be knowledge, but are - in reality - either totally useless, or having little benefit. It is also to be given precedence in learning especially by those who wish to acquire knowledge of the Deen, its principles and its particulars. Since what is prescribed for such a person at this time is that he should begin by memorising the Qur‘aan, as it is the foundation of the branches of the knowledge of the Deen. This is contrary to what is done by many of the people of innovation from the non-Arabs and other than them, in that one of them will pre-occupy himself with superfluous parts of knowledge; such as kalaam (rhetorical speech) and argumentation; or very rare matters of differences; and blind-following; which there is no need for; or very strange and rare ahaadeeth, which are not established, nor of benefit; and many discussions which do not establish proofs. And he abandons memorising the Qur‘aan which is more important than all of this.”

-Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fataawaa al-Kubraa (2/54-55)

“I heard my grandfather say: I asked my father for permission to study under Qutaybah so he said: “First learn the Qur‘aan and then I will give you permission.” So I memorised the Qur‘aan by heart. So he said to me: “Remain until you have led the people in prayer with it (i.e for Taraaweeh Prayer).” So I did so, then after the 'Eed he gave me permission, so I left for Marw.”

-Muhammad Ibn al-Fadl, reported by adh-Dhahabi in Tadhkirat ul-Huffaadh (2/722)

“So the first thing he should begin with is memorisation of the mighty Qur‘aan, which is the most important branches of knowledge. And the Salaf did not use to teach Hadeeth or Fiqh, except to one who memorised the Qur‘aan. So when he has memorised it, then let him beware of pre-occupying himself from it with Hadeeth, Fiqh or other things, to the extent that it leads him to forget anything of the Qur‘aan, or makes that likely.”

-al-Imaam an-Nawawi, from the introduction to al-Majmoo’ Sharh ul-Muhadhhab (1/38)