among the accountable, for the more knowledge a scholar gains, the greater his responsibility compared to others. Even if it were only what Allāh has obligated upon him to clarify to the people and what He has tasked him with in proclaiming the truth and elucidating what Allāh has legislated for His servants: "And [mention] when Allāh took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture, [saying], 'You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it'" (Āl ʿImrān, 3:187), "Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allāh and cursed by those who curse" (Al-Baqarah, 2:159). So if one whom Allāh has granted a portion of knowledge were only accountable for clarifying to the people, it would suffice in what we mentioned about scholars not being exempt from the circle of responsibility. Rather, they increase in responsibility with what they know. And if they sin, their sin is more severe than that of the ignorant and incurs greater punishment. As Allāh has narrated about those who commit evil in ignorance and those who do so knowingly. And as He has narrated in many verses about the Jewish scholars who proceeded to oppose what Allāh legislated for them, despite knowing the Scripture and studying it. And He reproached them for this in multiple places in His books, and censured them severely. As mentioned in the authentic ḥadīth: "The first to be judged on the Day of Judgment will be the scholar who commands people but does not act upon it himself, and forbids them but does not refrain." In summary, it is well-known that knowledge and its abundance, and the attainment of its bearer to the highest degrees of understanding, does not exempt him from any of the religious obligations. Rather, it intensifies them upon him, and he is addressed with matters not addressed to the ignorant, and tasked with responsibilities different from those of the ignorant, and his sin is more severe and his punishment greater. This is not denied by anyone who has the slightest discernment in the knowledge of the sharīʿah,
من جملة المكلفين بل العالم كلما ازداد علما كان تكليفه زائدا على تكليف غيره. ولو لم يكن من ذلك إلا ما أوجبه الله عليه من البيان للناس وما كلفه به من الصدع بالحق وإيضاح ما شرعه الله لعباده: ﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلا تَكْتُمُونَهُ﴾ , ﴿إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْتُمُونَ مَا أَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالْهُدَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا بَيَّنَّاهُ لِلنَّاسِ فِي الْكِتَابِ أُولَئِكَ يَلْعَنُهُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَلْعَنُهُمُ اللاَّعِنُونَ﴾. فلو لم يكن لمن رزقه الله طرفا من العلم إلا كونه مكلفا بالبيان للناس لكان كافيا فيما ذكرناه من كون العلماء لا يخرجون عن دائرة التكليف. بل يزيدون بما علموه تكليفا. وإذا أذنبوا كان ذنبهم أشد من ذنب الجاهل وأكثر عقابا. كما حكاه الله عمن يعمل سوءا بجهالة ومن عمله بعلم. وكما حكاه في كثير من الآيات عن علماء اليهود حيث أقدموا على مخالفة ما شرعه الله لهم، مع كونهم يعلمون الكتاب ويدرسونه. ونعى ذلك عليهم في مواضع متعددة من كتبه، وبكتهم أشد تبكيت. وكما ورد في الحديث الصحيح: "إن أول من تسعر بهم جهنم العالم الذي يأمر الناس ولا يأتمر وينهاهم ولا ينتهي". وبالجملة فهذا أمر معلوم، أن العلم وكثرته وبلوغ حامله إلى أعلى درجات العرفان لا يسقط عنه شيئا من التكاليف الشرعية بل يزيدها عليه شدة، ويخاطب بأمور لا يخاطب بها الجاهل ويكلف بتكاليف غير تكاليف الجاهل، ويكون ذنبه أشد وعقوبته أعظم. وهذا لا ينكره أحد ممن له أدنى تمييز بعلم الشريعة،