A Precious Gem: The Ignorant Worshipper and the Immoral (Religious) Scholar

Source: Imam Ibn al Qayyim, AI-Fawa’id, A COLLECTION OF WISE SAYINGS , Rendered into English by: Bayan Translation Services

[A Precious and Valuable Gem: The (Religious) Scholar Whose Deeds are Inconsistent with his Knowledge]

We have previously mentioned the case of the religious scholar who prefers this worldly life rather than the Hereafter. However, the mistake of the ignorant worshipper is rejecting knowledge, its verdicts, and his adherence to imagination and vain desires.

Sufyan bin ‘Uyainah and others said,

“Beware of the trial of the immoral (religious) scholar and that of the ignorant worshipper, for both are apparent trials. The latter avoids knowledge out of ignorance, and the former calls for wrong doings out of immorality”.

Allah, the Exalted, sets the example of the ignorant worshiper in the Qur’anic verse by saying,which means,

“Their allies deceived them) like Shai!an (Satan), when he says to man: “Disbelieve in Allah.” But when (man) disbelieves in Allah, Shai!an (Satan) says: “I am free of you, I fear Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)! So the end of both will be that they will be in the Fire, abiding therein. Such is the recompense of the ZalimOn (i.e. polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers in Allah and in His Oneness, etc.).” (AI-Hashr, 59:16-17)

His story is well known, for he has based his life on worshipping Allah unknowingly, so Satan seized the opportunity and seduced him causing his disbelief. So, this is the end of every ignorant worshipper who unconsciously disbelieves, and the other one is the final end of every immoral scholar who prefers this worldly life rather than the Hereafter.
[Story of Barsisa, the worshipper]