Acting Accordingly

After describing the verses and traditions showing the excellence of the learned we now come to the ayats and traditions condemning those learned people who do not act according to their knowledge.

Inactive scholars from the viewpoint of Quran

And recite to them the narrative of him to whom We give Our communications, but he withdraws himself from them, so the Shaitan overtakes him, so he is of those who go astray. And if We had pleased, We would certainly have exalted him thereby; but he clung to the earth and followed his low desire, so his parable is as the parable of the dog; if you attack him he lolls out his tongue; and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue; this is the parable of the people who reject Our communications; therefore relate the narrative that they may reflect.

This verse first turns toward the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and says: The story of those to whom We gave Our signs but who disobeyed and fell into the doubts raised by the Devil and finally went astray be recited to them. The earlier verses had hinted clearly toward the story of those who had been previously in the line of the Believers and who were regarded as the carriers of Divine Signs and Knowledge but who, at the end, stepped out of the line of true path and the Devil too drove them in the wrong direction with his doubts and as a result they lost the true path.

The meaning of ansalakha (withdrew) which is from the root word insalaakh is originally to come out of the skin and it hints that the verses and the Divine sciences had enveloped them initially in such a way that it had almost become their skin. But suddenly they came out of that skin and changed their course entirely.

It can be understood from the phrase faatbaahush shaitaan the Devil overtook them that in the beginning Shaitan had become almost disappointed with them, as they had stood firmly on the True Path. But after the aforesaid diversion, the Shaitan followed them vigorously, reached them and sat in their path and began to raise doubts in their hearts and minds and finally brought them in the line of the deviated people.

Thereafter the next verse concludes the subject saying: Had We willed we could have forcibly kept them on the same path and, could have, through the said ayats and sciences, given the high status.

But it is well known that keeping people by force on the True Path does not fit with the will of Allah which gives man the freedom of will and that it would not indicate ones personality and status. So, without any break He adds: We left him on the path of his choice and he, instead of adopting a day to day progress toward heights with the help of his knowledge and wisdom, turned toward the low level and, following his passions and desires crossed the downhill stages.

Thereafter the Holy Quran compares this scholar without deeds with a dog that always keeps its tongue hanging out of its mouth like thirsty animals. It is here that the Holy Quran says: If you attack him he lolls out his tongue; and if you leave him alone he lolls out his tongue.

He, under the effect of passions and lust for material tastes, acquired or brought on himself a state of unlimited and unquenching thirst which runs parallel to his world-worship. This is not because of need, but is in the form of an illness like that of a mad dog who suffers from unquenching thirst and is never satisfied. The same is the condition of the materialists who are coward and are never gratified no matter how much they hoard.

Thereafter the Holy Quran adds that this state is not limited to a particular person but It is the example of all the societies that refute the verses of God.

So O Prophet! Tell these stories to them perhaps they may ponder over them and find that true path.

Balam Baoor: A materialist and a deviated scholar

As you have observed, the above verses have not mentioned anyone's name but they talk about a learned scholar who had started walking on the true path in such a manner that no one imagined he would deviate at any time. Yet world-worship, lust, greed and passion dragged him to such an extent that finally he entered the line of the deviators and became a follower of the Devil.

However, many traditions and commentaries tell us that the name of the man in question was Balam Baoor who lived in the time of Moosa (a.s.) and was regarded as one of the famous scholars of Bani Israel. So much so that even Moosa (a.s.) benefited from him as a powerful propagator. He had advanced so much in the right path that God answered his prayer. But due to his inclination toward Firaun, and his promises and threats he deviated from the true path and lost all his value and finally became an opponent of Moosa (a.s.).

Though this verse has come in context of Balam Baoor, it is not limited to him. So Imam Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said, Originally the ayat refers to Balam Baoor, then the Lord Almighty mentioned it as an example of one who gave preference to passion, lust and greed over God-worship.

The likeness of those who were charged with the Taurat, then they did not observe it, is as the likeness of the ass bearing books, evil is the likeness of the people who reject the communications of Allah; and Allah does not guide the unjust people.

What! Do you enjoin men to be good and neglect your own souls while you read the Book; have you then no sense?

The Holy Quran, in this verse, rebukes Bani Israel and asks them: Why do you call upon people to do good but keep yourselves away from that good deed and forget to give admonition and advice to yourselves?

Woe, then, to those who write the book with their hands and then say: This is from Allah, so that they may take for it a small price; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn.

Though this ayat has been revealed about Bani Israel it is not restricted to them and includes all the learned people who hide the truth and give preference to their personal interests over truths of religion.

O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do? It is most hateful to Allah that you should say that which you do not do.

Non-practising scholars: Viewpoint of traditions

It has been narrated from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), One who earns knowledge so much that he encounters the ignorant, or flaunts with the scholars, or invites people toward himself and imagines himself to be a leader and finally lands himself in Hell is not fit for any leadership, except for only his family. So if a man draws people to himself even if among them there is a wiser person who is wiser than him, God will not shed His Mercy on such person.

2 - It has been narrated from Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.), Anyone who makes himself a leader of people must, before teaching others, teach himself. Thereafter he should discipline the society through his own behaviour. Only after that he should teach others through his tongue. One who teaches and disciplines himself is more respectable and more honourable than one who teaches and disciplines people and forgets himself.

3 - It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (a.s.), How many are the learned men whose character and ignorance destroyed them and who did not benefit from their learning.

4 - In one of his sermons delivered from the pulpit Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) said, O people! Whenever you learn something, act according to it so that you may be guided. A learned man who acts against his knowledge is like a wandering ignorant who has not come to his senses but has proved that he is worse than a wandering ignorant and both are fruitless failures.

5 - Sulaim bin Qais says, I heard from Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) who had quoted the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that, The wise are of two kinds:

A -Scholars who act according to their knowledge. Obviously this is the kind which is successful.
B- A scholar who does not act according to his knowledge - All the dwellers of Hell are troubled by the foul smell emanating from the scholar without good deeds. Among the people of Hell more ashamed and more disappointed is a man who invited others to himself in the world, who respond to his call and by their good deeds go to Paradise but he himself due to his inaction, lust, passion and worldly longings goes to Hell. Following ones own lust and passion prevents man from treading the true path and his lengthy aspirations make him forget the Day of Judgement.

6 - It is recorded from Amirul Mo-mineen (a.s.) that he said, Two types of people have broken my back:
a) A sinner scholar who speaks nicely.
b) Unwise and foolish people.
Then he adds: I have heard from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that: My people will be destroyed by the hypocrite who speaks nicely and has also a lot of knowledge.

7 -The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: One who loves the material world loses the fear of the Day of Judgement. If the Lord Almighty increases someone's knowledge and the latter, in exchange, gets connected with the world, such a person gets away from Gods Mercy and the Divine anger increases against him.

8 - It has been quoted from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) that, One whose knowledge increases but his Piety and piety or righteousness does not grow gets away from Divine Mercy.