This is very important to us and actually
all this is important to us because I reiterate, we teach to be applied.
Knowledge is meant to be applied. So who are evil scholars? Here is a
rule Ash-Shātibī said, “Evil scholars are those who are
dangerous to mankind. They are a disease to mankind, and they are those
who do not act on their knowledge.”
In his book Al-Fawāid, Ibnul Qayyim gave a parable. He said evil scholars are like people sitting on the gates of Jannah and calling people to come on in. With their tongues they are saying come on in, come on in, but their actions are saying do not come in. The more they talk to people and tell people to come in, the more their actions say do not listen to us, because if we were indeed truthful then we would have been the first to apply it.
Those ‘Ulamā As-Sū appear as though they are guides but they are bandits, may Allāh save us and give us refuge from that. Those who do not apply what they learn are like bandits. It is like you are in your car and you are asking someone for directions, and he gives you a detour so he can rob you. That is how ‘Ulamā As-Sū are. The Qur’ān gives us parables and examples to learn from. Some of the worst parables and examples in the Qur’ān to learn from are pertaining to those who do not apply their knowledge.
And recite (O Muhammad) to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Āyāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc), but he threw them away, so shaytān followed him up, and he became of those who went astray. And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his description is the description of a dog: If you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is the description of the people who reject Our Āyāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc). So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect." [7:175-176]
In his book Al-Fawāid, Ibnul Qayyim gave a parable. He said evil scholars are like people sitting on the gates of Jannah and calling people to come on in. With their tongues they are saying come on in, come on in, but their actions are saying do not come in. The more they talk to people and tell people to come in, the more their actions say do not listen to us, because if we were indeed truthful then we would have been the first to apply it.
Those ‘Ulamā As-Sū appear as though they are guides but they are bandits, may Allāh save us and give us refuge from that. Those who do not apply what they learn are like bandits. It is like you are in your car and you are asking someone for directions, and he gives you a detour so he can rob you. That is how ‘Ulamā As-Sū are. The Qur’ān gives us parables and examples to learn from. Some of the worst parables and examples in the Qur’ān to learn from are pertaining to those who do not apply their knowledge.
And recite (O Muhammad) to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Āyāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc), but he threw them away, so shaytān followed him up, and he became of those who went astray. And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So his description is the description of a dog: If you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is the description of the people who reject Our Āyāt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc). So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect." [7:175-176]
A scholar, an ‘ālim who acts different from that which he knows, Allāh gave a parable that he is like a dog. Allāh says had We willed, We surely would have elevated him. He is like a dog but We would have elevated him, but he clung on to this earth and followed his vain desires. He did not follow what he knows. The parable is the parable of a dog. If you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out. If you leave him, he lolls his tongue out. Whatever you do and whatever status he is on, he lolls his tongue out.
When Ibnul Qayyim talks about this, he mentions how the parable of a dog is to evil scholars and then mentions ten points under that. We do not really have time to go through them. Allāh gives this example and it is not of any dog, but a panting and lolling dog. He pants all the time and that is the worst of all dogs. Whether he is resting, tired, thirsty, with his thirst quenched or whatever status he is on, he is panting and lolling. If you tell the shaykh speak the truth, he is panting and lolling. If you leave him (the evil scholar) to not apply what he knows and what he knows he should apply, he is lolling. If you shun him, he is panting. If you just ignore him, he is panting. If he speaks, he is panting. He did not use what he knows so Allāh gives him a parable of a panting dog.
"The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Tawrāh , but who subsequently failed in those (obligations, did not carry it), is as the likeness of a donkey who carries huge burdens of books. How bad is the example (or the likeness) of people who deny the Āyāt of Allāh. And Allāh guides not the people who are dhālimūn." [62:5]
The likeness of those who were entrusted with the Tawrāh, and likewise the Qur’ān. The verse does not say the Qur’ān, but likewise the Qur’ān. After they were entrusted with the Qur’ān and they failed those obligations, they are like a donkey which carries huge burdens of books. Does he understand anything out of them? That is the example of the people who deny the Āyāt of Allāh. The first one was a parable of a knowledgeable person to a dog and here it is a parable to a donkey.
"They did not carry it."
What that means is that they did not apply it. What usage does a donkey get out of the Asfār? The word in Arabic is Asfār, the plural of Sifr, which are the big books or tablets that they used to write upon. If you put them on a donkey, what does a donkey get out of carrying those Asfār? What does a donkey get out of it on its back but the weight? One who carries the Qur’ān, Bukhārī, Muslim, Al-Mughnī, Usool Ath-Thalāthah or other books, if he knows it but he does not apply it then what does he get but the burden of carrying it? You get nothing but the burden of the weight, just like the donkey.
"Entrusted with the Tawrāh"
Ibn Abbaas said Hummilū (entrusted with) meaning they were ordered to act upon it. They were given it in order to act upon it. Ibn Katheer said this parable is for those who do not know what is in the books. They are given the books to learn but they do not want to learn what is in the books. It is also for those who know what is in the books, they memorise it but they do not comprehend it and they do not act upon it. And it is also for those who know it and tamper and play around with it. They are worse than a donkey because at least a donkey has no intelligence to comprehend. They have the intelligence but do not use their intelligence, so they are indeed worse than a donkey.
In I’lām Al-Muwaqqi’īn, Ibnul Qayyim said even though this was directed to the jews, it also applies to the people who were given the Qur’ān and do not act upon that which is in the Qur’ān. Wallāhi it is a grizzly parable of a donkey. Allāh comparing one to a donkey and to a dog is something to warn you, so one applies that which he learns, seeks knowledge and applies knowledge. These are reminders for those who have a heart or give an ear while they are truly heedful.
"Verily, therein is indeed a reminder for him who has a heart or gives ear while he is heedful." [50:37]
Allāh tells Yahya;
"O Yahya! Hold fast the Scripture (the Tawrāh)." [19:12]
Mujāhid and Zayd Ibn al-Aslam said “Bi Quwwah (hold fast)” means take knowledge, and apply and act on your knowledge.
[By Ash-Shaykh Ahmad ibnu Mūsā Jibrīl (hafithahUllāh)]
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