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The learned who preach without practice

By: Ayatullah al-Uzma Nasir Makarim Shirazi from โ€˜Tafsir i-Namunahโ€™
Translated from Farsi into English by Fatima Zabeth Beenesh

It is mentioned in some narrations that the Jews were expressing: If Muhammad peace be upon him is appointed upon the prophecy it is not for us. Hence the first ayat under discussion indicated to them: if you were carefully reading your divine book and practicing upon it, you were never talking such a thing, as the glad tiding of the advent of Islamโ€™s prophet is mentioned in that divine book.
It said: upon whom the Taurat (Torah) is descended they were charged with their duty but they did not fulfilled its right and did not practised upon its aayaat. They are like the ass mounted upon itself books.

รฃรณร‹รณรกรต ร‡รกรธรณรรถรญรครณ รรตรฃรธรถรกรตรฆร‡ ร‡รกรŠรธรณรฆรบร‘รณร‡ร‰รณ ร‹รตรฃรธรณ รกรณรฃรบ รญรณรรบรฃรถรกรตรฆรฅรณร‡ รŸรณรฃรณร‹รณรกรถ ร‡รกรบรรถรฃรณร‡ร‘รถ รญรณรรบรฃรถรกรต รƒรณร“รบรรณร‡ร‘รฐร‡

The quadruped did not feel anything from the book except the heaviness. It makes no difference for it (The quadruped) whether it is mounting the wood, stone or the books which contains the most accurate programmes of life and the most knowledgeable secrets of creation.
This self-satisfied nation who were contented only upon the name of the Taurat (Torah) or by reciting it without considering upon its contents and practicing upon it, they are like the four footed animal.
This animal is commonly known by one and all as a very much foolish creature. It can be said the most evident example of a scholar who does not practice what he preaches. He has the responsibility of the knowledge upon his shoulders without gaining its blessings. The people who are connected only with the words of the noble Quran they are unaware about its contents and its practical program (they are in large number in the rows of the Muslim community; they too are included in this ayat.
There is another guessing that the Jews by hearing the first ayat and similar ayat of Allah taala which is mentioning the gift of the prophetโ€™s peace be upon him advent, they wanted to express that they too are the people of the book and we too are proud of the Musa kaleemโ€™s peace be upon him advent. The honourable Quran in their reply states: what is the use of it? You ignores the commands of the Taurat (Torah) you never implemented them practically.
But any way it is a warning for all the Muslims to be careful not to reach to such an end. This is a great divine blessing that the noble Quran which was descended upon them, must not be kept neglected in the houses just to get dusty. Or it is to be worn as the amulet to get rid of the evil eyes. Or to pass under the noble Quran to keep away from the accidents while in journey or for the good omen sending the noble Quran in the new house along with the mirror and sweeper for the occasion of home warming, make the noble Quran down to such extent. They struggle till last for reading with tartil (chanting the noble Quran) in a beautiful voice or they recite it in tajvid (Hafiz reads the honourable Quran according to its rule).But in the personal and social life his reaction in the field of believe and practise is seen in least manner.
In the continuation of this example it adds: the nation who denied the divine signs certainly they are the bad examples.
รˆรถร†รบร“รณ รฃรณร‹รณรกรต ร‡รกรบรžรณรฆรบรฃรถ ร‡รกรธรณรรถรญรครณ รŸรณรรธรณรˆรตรฆร‡ รˆรถร‚รญรณร‡รŠรถ ร‡รกรกรธรณรฅรถ

How they should not be compared with donkey loaded with the weight. They denied the divine signs not only by their deeds but by their words as well. Hence in the ayat 87 of the sura e Baqara about this Jewโ€™s nation, it is told:
รƒรณรรณรŸรตรกรธรณรฃรณร‡ รŒรณร‡รรŸรตรฃรบ ร‘รณร“รตรฆรกรฑ รˆรถรฃรณร‡ รกร‡รณ รŠรณรฅรบรฆรณรฌ รƒรณรครรตร“รตรŸรตรฃรต ร‡ร“รบรŠรณรŸรบรˆรณร‘รบรŠรตรฃรบ รรณรรณร‘รถรญรžร‡รฐ รŸรณรรธรณรˆรบรŠรตรฃรบ รฆรณรรณร‘รถรญรžร‡รฐ รŠรณรžรบรŠรตรกรตรฆรครณ (2:87
)
Whenever any prophet propagated against their carnal desires, they reacted arrogantly against him, they denied many a groups of them and killed them heartlessly.
In the end meaningfully and shortly it expresses: the mighty God never guides the tyrannical nation.
รฆรณร‡รกรกรธรณรฅรต รกรณร‡ รญรณรฅรบรรถรญ ร‡รกรบรžรณรฆรบรฃรณ ร‡รกร™รธรณร‡รกรถรฃรถรญรครณ

It is true that to guide is the duty of Almighty god but it needs the necessary background. And its condition is the spirit of justice and the search for the truth. And it must get start from the inward of the human being but the cruel people are away from it.
As we said: the Jews believed they are the selected nation and assumed themselves they are like a lustrous silk, woven separately and they pretended sometimes and declared themselves as the sons of merciful God. Hence in the ayat 18 of sura e Maida it is said:
รฆรณรžรณร‡รกรณรŠรถ ร‡รกรบรญรณรฅรตรฆรรต รฆรณร‡รกรครธรณร•รณร‡ร‘รณรฌ รครณรรบรครต รƒรณรˆรบรครณร‡ร ร‡รกรกรธรฅรถ รฆรณรƒรณรรถรˆรธรณร‡ร„รตรฅรต

The Jews and Christians said: we are the sons and the close friends of God (though they mean the false ones).
The noble Quran against that unreasonable high โ€“ flying that too from the group who were possessing a divine book but they were not practising upon it. It said: tell them: O Jews if you suppose that you are the friends of the God and you are not like the other people. Then you desire for the death, if you are true
รžรตรกรบ รญรณร‡ รƒรณรญรธรตรฅรณร‡ ร‡รกรธรณรรถรญรครณ รฅรณร‡รรตรฆร‡ ร…รถรค ร’รณรšรณรฃรบรŠรตรฃรบ รƒรณรครธรณรŸรตรฃรบ รƒรณรฆรบรกรถรญรณร‡ร รกรถรกรธรณรฅรถ รฃรถรค รรตรฆรครถ ร‡รกรครธรณร‡ร“รถ รรณรŠรณรฃรณรครธรณรฆรตร‡ ร‡รกรบรฃรณรฆรบรŠรณ ร…รถรค รŸรตรครŠรตรฃรบ ร•รณร‡รรถรžรถรญรครณ

As the friend is always yearns to meet the friend and we know that the spiritual meeting takes place on the judgment day. When the curtains of this world are caste away and the dust of the passions and lust are calmed down and the veils are tied up and with the vision of his heart, the man views the soul soothing beauty of his beloved and steps into his closest vicinity, to give these words a true meaning.
Al-Qamar (The Moon)
รรถรญ รฃรณรžรบรšรณรรถ ร•รถรรบรžรฒ รšรถรครรณ รฃรณรกรถรญรŸรฒ รฃรธรตรžรบรŠรณรรถร‘รฒ (54:55
)
In a seat of truth (the Paradise) near the most Powerful King (Allah, the All-Blessed, the Most High, the Owner of Majesty and Honor).
And find his way in the facade of his beloved.
If you are true and feel you are among his extraordinary friends. Then why are you cemented to this worldly life to such extent? Why are you highly scared of death? It is for the reason that you are not true in your claim.
The noble Quran relates the same meaning in other words in the sura e Baqara ayat 96 and said: Al-Baqara (The Cow)
รฆรณรกรณรŠรณรŒรถรรณรครธรณรฅรตรฃรบ รƒรณรรบร‘รณร•รณ ร‡รกรครธรณร‡ร“รถ รšรณรกรณรฌ รรณรญรณร‡ร‰รฒ รฆรณรฃรถรครณ ร‡รกรธรณรรถรญรครณ รƒรณร”รบร‘รณรŸรตรฆร‡รบ รญรณรฆรณรรธรต รƒรณรรณรรตรฅรตรฃรบ รกรณรฆรบ รญรตรšรณรฃรธรณร‘รต รƒรณรกรบรรณ ร“รณรครณร‰รฒ รฆรณรฃรณร‡ รฅรตรฆรณ รˆรถรฃรตร’รณรรบร’รถรรถรฅรถ รฃรถรครณ ร‡รกรบรšรณรรณร‡รˆรถ รƒรณรค รญรตรšรณรฃรธรณร‘รณ รฆรณร‡รกรกรธรฅรต รˆรณร•รถรญร‘รฑ รˆรถรฃรณร‡ รญรณรšรบรฃรณรกรตรฆรครณ (2:96
)
And you will most certainly find them the greediest of men for life (greedier) than even those who are polytheists; every one of them loves that he should be granted a life of a thousand years, and his being granted a long life will in no way remove him further off from the chastisement, and Allah sees what they do.
You will find them the greediest people in the life of this world. Even they are greedier than the polytheists to such extent that they desire to live for thousand years while this lengthy age never stops them from receiving the divine chastisement. The great God is watching their deeds.
Then indicated towards the real reason of their fear of death and adds: they never desire for death for the deeds they had sent beforehand.
รฆรณรกรณร‡ รญรณรŠรณรฃรณรครธรณรฆรบรครณรฅรต รƒรณรˆรณรรฐร‡ รˆรถรฃรณร‡ รžรณรรธรณรฃรณรŠรบ รƒรณรญรบรรถรญรฅรถรฃรบ

But the mighty God knows well the cruel people.
รฆรณร‡รกรกรธรณรฅรต รšรณรกรถรญรฃรฑ รˆรถร‡รกร™รธรณร‡รกรถรฃรถรญรครณ

In fact the fear of man for death is due to the two factors: either they do not believe in the life after death and they assume the death as the monster of destruction and non-existence and the empire of darkness. It is natural that the man runs away from being the lack of want, non-existence and ruin.
Though he believes the life after death but as he sees his deeds file dark and black for that reason he is fearful to be present in that great court of justice.
As the Jews were believed in the judgment day and the life after death is naturally, the cause of their fear of death is the second factor.
The term ร‡รกร™รธรณร‡รกรถรฃรถรญรครณ has the vast meaning it includes all unjust killing of divine prophets by the Jews and the deeds relating to their unfair characters, usurping the rights of the people, looting and destructing their wealth and same way they were been polluted to the various immoral evils.
But certainly this fear and anxiety never solves any problem. Death is a camel that slept upon every door. Hence the honourable Quran says: O prophet inform them: the death which you want to escape, at last will meet you.
รžรตรกรบ ร…รถรครธรณ ร‡รกรบรฃรณรฆรบรŠรณ ร‡รกรธรณรรถรญ รŠรณรรถร‘รธรตรฆรครณ รฃรถรครบรฅรต รรณร…รถรครธรณรฅรต รฃรตรกรณร‡รžรถรญรŸรตรฃรบ

Then they will be taken towards the one who is aware of the hidden and visible and he will tell you whatever you were doing ( in this world).
ร‹รตรฃรธรณ รŠรตร‘รณรรธรตรฆรครณ ร…รถรกรณรฌ รšรณร‡รกรถรฃรถ ร‡รกรบร›รณรญรบรˆรถ รฆรณร‡รกร”รธรณรฅรณร‡รรณร‰รถ รรณรญรตรครณรˆรธรถร†รตรŸรตรฃ รˆรถรฃรณร‡ รŸรตรครŠรตรฃรบ รŠรณรšรบรฃรณรกรตรฆรครณ

Death is one of the commonest and widespread rules of this world, the great divine prophets and the esteemed angels all die except the unpolluted entity of pure God will be remained in this world.
Ar-Rahman (The Most Beneficent)
รŸรตรกรธรต รฃรณรครบ รšรณรกรณรญรบรฅรณร‡ รรณร‡รครฒ (55:26
)
Everyone upon the earth will perish,
รฆรณรญรณรˆรบรžรณรฌ รฆรณรŒรบรฅรต ร‘รณรˆรธรถรŸรณ รรตรฆ ร‡รกรบรŒรณรกรณร‡รกรถ รฆรณร‡รกรบร…รถรŸรบร‘รณร‡รฃรถ (55:27
)
And the Face of your Lord full of Majesty and Honor will endure forever.
The death is among the certain rule of this world and to be present before the court of divine justice of almighty Allah to give the account of the deeds. The merciful God is aware of all the human deeds.
Therefore He only give end to this fear, the one whose accounts are clean, there will be no fear for him in giving the account of his deeds. In this condition we can say like Ali alaihis salam: Alas after so many wars and disasters, by almighty Allah the attachment of Abu Talibโ€™s son is more towards the death than the child who is attached towards the breast of his mother.
When his holy forehead was torn apart by the hit of the last vicious person, he thundered and said: I swear by the god of kaโ€™aba, I won and I have reached the salvation.
Certainly the acquisition of knowledge has much hardship but whatever are the difficulties they are worth less at the achieved boundless blessings at the place of knowledge. The man becomes helpless the day when he smoothens for himself the hardships of achieving the knowledge but could not be able to gain anything out of it. He is similarly like a beast that is loading the weight of books upon his back and knowing nothing about its contents.
There are some of the terms about the learned person who preach but not practise, they are titled as: the tree without fruit, the clouds without rain or like a candle that burns made the surroundings bright and lighted but itself vanishes or a cattle tied up to a water mill, it constantly bears the pains and travels but it cycles around it self and never reaches any destiny and many other examples like it describes a corner of a scholars inauspicious life who preaches but not practice.
In the Islamic descriptions too there are shocking narrations in the reproach of these kind of scholars, such as: it is quoted from the prophet of Allah peace be upon him who said: the person whose knowledge is increased but he did not intensified his guidance. This kind of knowledge does not give him anything except misguidance.
At another juncture we read by amiral momineen Ali alaihis salam: the knowledge is linked with the practice, the one who knows something must bring it into his practical life. The knowledge calls and invites towards the practice if he did not give it a positive reply it leaves him and goes away.
Basically from some of the narrations it is quoted that the scholar who preaches but not practices, he is not worthy to be called a scholar. The prophet of Allah peace be upon him who said: the one who is scholar must practice upon his preaching.
Above all he had the responsibilities of the world is upon his shoulders without enjoying the advantages of knowledge. Hence in a hadis by amiral momineen Ali alaihis salam we read: in between his speech while addressing upon the height of the pulpit he said: O people when you are aware of any thing, practise upon it so that you attain the guidance. Because a scholar who acts against his knowledge, he is like a wandering ignorant who never gets awake from his ignorance, I feel the argument is greater than this knowledgeable man and the regrets are more constant than him.
Certainly the presence of such scholars and intellectuals is the greatest calamity for a society and the future of the people whose scholars are following such a custom has a very dangerous fate. As told by a poet: The shepherd saves the sheep from the claws of the wolf but woe upon the sheep whose shepherd is a wolf.

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