Excerpt from Ml Ibrahim Dewla’s speeches and notes.

Scholars have written knowledge without practice; the heart becomes hardened.

Abu Layth Samarqandi رحمة الله عليه said, “Knowledge (without practice) leads to hardness of the heart.”

Like the fish, even though it’s in water, it smells.

Why? Because they didn’t become subservient to that knowledge. ‘I already know.’ To know that poison is poison and still drink it. What’s the benefit of knowing then?

Once the heart becomes hardened, then disobedience to Allah becomes easier.

“…we hardened their hearts. They distorted the words of the Scripture.”
(5:13)

This was punishment meted out to the scholars of Bani Israel. Their hearts become hardened. They would distort Allah’s book; they changed Torah. How hard did their hearts become? They changed the book of Allah; they have no fear.

Even though they were scholars of Allah’s books: Injil, Torah, Zabur.

When a person doesn’t apply their knowledge, their heart becomes hardened. As a result, they will no longer fear Allah. This is a great calamity.