What is the importance of combining knowledge with action?
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Question:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. He says: What is the importance of combining knowledge with action, given that we see some people striving intensely to seek knowledge, while neglecting the aspect of worship? They do not perform their prayer properly, with its bowing and prostration, nor do they care about the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib)?
Answer:
There is no doubt that knowledge is linked to action. Action is the fruit of knowledge. If one does not act, he is like a tree that bears no fruit. What is the benefit of a tree that bears no fruit?
This is the way of the Jews: they took knowledge and left action. The way of the Christians is the opposite: they took action and left knowledge. They said that knowledge distracts from action and worship. This is the way of the Sufis today. The Sufi path says: do not learn; knowledge will come to you naturally. You must focus on action and worship, because seeking knowledge distracts you from worship, and so they say.
So the correct path is the path of those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor, who combined beneficial knowledge with righteous action.[At-Tawbah 9:33] Guidance is knowledge, and the religion of truth is action. The Messenger was sent with both. Yes.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. He says: What is the importance of combining knowledge with action, given that we see some people striving intensely to seek knowledge, while neglecting the aspect of worship? They do not perform their prayer properly, with its bowing and prostration, nor do they care about the regular voluntary prayers (rawatib)?
Answer:
There is no doubt that knowledge is linked to action. Action is the fruit of knowledge. If one does not act, he is like a tree that bears no fruit. What is the benefit of a tree that bears no fruit?
This is the way of the Jews: they took knowledge and left action. The way of the Christians is the opposite: they took action and left knowledge. They said that knowledge distracts from action and worship. This is the way of the Sufis today. The Sufi path says: do not learn; knowledge will come to you naturally. You must focus on action and worship, because seeking knowledge distracts you from worship, and so they say.
So the correct path is the path of those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor, who combined beneficial knowledge with righteous action.
It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth
هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَىٰ وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، ما أهمية اقتران العلم بالعمل؟ للشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.