The Meaning of Ibn Sirin's Statement on Knowledge

Question: He asks, Virtuous Sheikh, to whom is this statement attributed to and what is it's meaning: "Indeed this knowledge is Religion, so look into whom you take your Religion from? Answer: Yes, this has been narrated from some of the salaf, I think (it is) from Ibn Sirin may Allah have mercy upon him. Knowledge is religion because the religion is based upon knowledge. So, religion without knowledge does not benefit. Indeed, religion is based upon knowledge. So, a man must learn that which rectifies his religion. This is from one angle. The second angle is that scholars and teachers differ. There are some amongst them who have taqwa, fear of Allah and nurture (the people) upon correct knowledge and aqeedah. These are the ones whom knowledge should be taken from. As for the misguided scholar, the scholar who isn't strict, or the hypocrite whose knowledge is only on his tongue, it is not allowed to take knowledge from them; or from the mubtadi', it is not allowed to take knowledge from them. That is because they have an effect upon their students.