Abu Umamah Al-Bahili reported: Two men were mentioned before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, the worshiper and the scholar. The Prophet said, “The merit of the scholar over the worshiper is like my merit over the least of you. Verily, Allah, his angels, the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth, even the ant in his hole and the fish, send blessings upon the one who teaches people virtue.”

Fudayl ibn Iyad said, “A scholar who works in teaching has a high status in the domain of the heavens.”

Source: Sunan At-Tirmidhi 2685

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to At-Tirmidhi

عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ الْبَاهِلِيِّ قَالَ ذُكِرَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَجُلَانِ أَحَدُهُمَا عَابِدٌ وَالْآخَرُ عَالِمٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَضْلُ الْعَالِمِ عَلَى الْعَابِدِ كَفَضْلِي عَلَى أَدْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ وَأَهْلَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرَضِينَ حَتَّى النَّمْلَةَ فِي جُحْرِهَا وَحَتَّى الْحُوتَ لَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَى مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ الْخَيْرَ

وقال الفضيل بن عياض عَالِمٌ عَامِلٌ مُعَلِّمٌ يُدْعَى كَبِيرًا فِي مَلَكُوتِ السَّمَوَاتِ

2685 سنن الترمذي كتاب العلم باب ما جاء في فضل الفقه على العبادة

قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ صَحِيحٌ

http://dailyhadith.abuaminaelias.com/2012/04/01/hadith-on-knowledge-the-superiority-of-the-scholar-over-the-worshipper-blessings-upon-those-who-teach-good/