[This
article was published in the 23rd issue of Nida'ul
Islam |
The Crime of Concealing Knowledge
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Embracing and conveying the knowledge of revelation is an obligation
and sacred trust upon the scholars and the inheritors of the Message. A
great reward is promised for those who teach people the knowledge of
revelation. Conversely, a severe punishment is prepared for those
learned men who conceal and hide the revealed truth out of envy or for
the sake of a worldly desire. Allah (s.w.t.) in His Noble Qur'an informs
us about how previous nations deviated and warns us from following their
path. Amongst the |
159.
Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidence and guidance, which
We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book,
they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers. 160. Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). These, I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. [Surah 2, Al-Baqarah] The Occasion of Revelation These verses were revealed in response
to the People of the Book when they were asked about Biblical prophecy of
Muhammad (s.a.w). Ibn Abbas (r.a.a) narrates that Mu'aath bin Jabal and
other companions asked some Jewish Rabbis about Muhammad as mentioned in
their Book. They concealed Muhammad's description and did not inform of
his forthcoming out of hatred and envy1. Allah (s.w.t) then
revealed, "Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs .." The General Meaning of the Verses Allah the Most High openly declares in
these verses His abomination with those who conceal and obscure the clear
signs and certain proofs regarding the truthfulness of Muhammad (s.a.w)
and that he is the Messenger of Allah. Those who intentionally veil the
expected prophecy and advent of Muhammad even though they are well aware
of his characteristics which are mentioned in their books, "Those
who follow the Messenger, Prophet who can neither read or write [i.e.
Muhammad (s.a.w)] whom they find written with them in the Taurat (Torah)
and the Injeel (Gospel)."2 They juggle the laws of
religion and tamper with the Taurat and the Injeel and thus deserve
expulsion from Allah's Mercy and warrant the curse of angels and mankind
in all. On the other hand, everything in this world asks forgiveness for
the true scholar, even the fish in the sea, as mentioned in a Hadith. The
exception from Allah's curse are for those who repent and feel remorse
from concealing religious knowledge, do righteous deeds by believing in
Muhammad (s.a.w), and openly declare the revelation and truth of the
Prophets which they concealed. Hence, the sign of a true and sincere
repentance is doing righteous deeds and declaring the truth and acting
upon it, followed by trust in Allah's Mercy and acceptance of the
repentance. These repentant learned people will have their repentance
accepted and the Most Merciful will inundate them with rivers of mercy and
forgiveness. Although these verses were revealed in
response to the scholars of the People of the Book, its theme comprehends
all those who conceal the Words of Allah and distorts the laws of His
Shari'ah. This implication is based on the scholarly principle, 'the
lesson to be learned is derived from the generality of the expression and
not from the particular occasion.' This interpretation is true and is
further supplemented by the Prophet's articulation: "He who is asked
about something he knows and conceals it, will have a bridle of fire put
on him on the Day of Resurrection"3 Furthermore, the
Sahabah who are the eloquent Arabs and the authoritative source in
interpreting the Qur'an, understood the generality of these verses and
that it also includes Muslims alike. Abu Hurairah (r.a.a) said: "Had
it not been for two verses in the Qur'an, I would not have narrated a
single Hadith, and the verses are: 'Verily, those who conceal the clear
proofs, evidence and guidance, which We have sent down ... (up to) ... the
Most Merciful.'" [Bukhari] The Sacred Trust The wisdom and guidance that Allah (s.w.t)
revealed and the divine laws and commands that He sent down are for the
benefit of the entire humanity. Comprehending and conveying the knowledge
of revelation is an obligation and sacred trust upon the Prophets,
scholars and learned people. Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Amr (r.a.a), the
Prophet (s.a.w) said, "Convey (my teachings) to the people even if it
were a single verse or a sentence (from the Qur'an or the Sunnah)."
[Bukhari] Therefore, hiding and veiling the Truth from the people is an
infringement on the essence of the Message that Allah has revealed to His
prophets and messengers. It is also a betrayal of the duty that Allah has
entrusted the scholars with, "(And remember) when Allah took a
covenant from those who were given the Scripture to make it known and
clear to mankind, and not to hide it." [3:187] For those reasons,
Allah (s.w.t) has prepared severe punishment for those who conceal
knowledge from people, aside from those who tamper with the Law of Allah
and distort His Shari'ah. Indeed, concealing revealknowledge is a great
crime and sin that deserves the Curse of Allah and exclusion from His
Mercy. The verses clearly demonstrate how
Islam devotes its followers to the dissemination of knowledge and
enlightenment, in order to propagate the Message and extricate the Ummah
from the iniquity of ignorance and misguidance. The dissemination of
knowledge is an act of worship, while the concealment of it is a crime and
sin. Unfortunately, today's Muslim Ummah did not learn the lesson from
nations of previous scriptures, but on the contrary, followed the
footsteps of the People of the Book, as foretold in numerous Ahadith.
Widespread ignorance and corruption soon followed, as Allah's Messenger (s.a.w)
said: "From among the portents of the Hour are (the following):
The compelling need for honest scholars
of Islam who understand their times and who can sincerely declare the
truth, is felt by all Muslims. Yet we observe many Sheikhs and learned
Muslim figures garnish the falsehood of tyrant regimes and indulge in the
adornments offered by at-Taghut, and so "they throw it (Allah's
covenant entrusted to the scholars) away behind their backs, and purchased
with it some miserable gain! And indeed worst is that which they
bought." [3:187] The Muslims must not listen to or follow those
so called 'Ulama' as-Sultan (court scholars), who while claiming to be
scholars in the service of Islam, are dissolving the identity of falsehood
and distorting the rulings of the Shari'ah to harmonise with the Taghut's
desires and with the subverted condition of the Ummah. We ask Allah (s.w.t) to protect the
scholars of this Ummah, the guardians of the Deen, from deviation and
concealment of the truth. O Allah, we take refuge in You from anxiety and
sorrow, weakness and laziness, miserliness and cowardice, the burden of
debts and from being overpowered by men . Footnotes |
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