COMMANDING OTHERS TOWARDS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND NOT PRACTISING ONESELF IS EVIL

Allaah Jalla Jalaalahoo states quoting the words of Shu’ayb Alayhis Salaam, “and I do not want to do afterwards that which I prohibited you from.” (Hood verse 88)
“Do you order the people to piety and forget yourselves, while you read the Book? Don’t you understand?” (Baqarah verse 44)

This verse does not mean that a non-practising person cannot advise, but shows that it is not permissible to be a non-practising person. There is a world of difference between these two things. (Bayaanul-Quraan).

Usaamah ibn Zaid RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that he heard Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam saying,
“A man will be brought forward on the day of Resurrection and flung into the Fire. All his entrails will fall out of his body. He will go around in circles with his entrails just as a donkey goes around a millstone.
The inmates of the Fire will gather by him and will ask, “O so and so, what has happened to you? Did you not command goodness and prevent evil?”
He will reply, “Yes, I used to command goodness but I never used to practise on it. I used to prevent from evil but I used to perpetrate those acts.”
(Bukhaari no.3267, Muslim no. 2989)

Anas RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said,
“I saw on the night I was taken for mi’raaj some people whose lips were cut by scissors made of fire. When I asked Jibreel Alayhis Salaam as to who they were, he replied,
“The lecturers of your ummah who used to command people with righteousness and forget themselves, whereas they used to recite the Book. Do they not have intelligence?” (Saheeh ibn Hibbaan no. 53)

An incident is mentioned of a pious person. A child was brought before him so that he could advise him to abstain from eating molasses. The pious person told the guardian to bring him back after one week.
Thereafter he mentioned, “When the child was brought the first time, I also had the habit of eating molasses.” Now after I have abstained from eating it, I will advise him.” (Ruh ki beemaariya aur unka ilaaj)

Jundub RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam said, “The example of a learned person who teaches people righteousness and forgets himself is like a lamp which gives like to others and burns itself.”
(Al-Mu’jamul-Kabeer of Tabaraani vol. 2 page 165 no. 1681)  

IMPORTANT POINT:

If one does not practise, it does not mean that he should not preach. He should continue advising others as this is his duty. He should intend reforming himself when he advises others.

Anas RadhiyAllaahu Anhu narrates, “We enquired from Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam,
“Should we not command good actions until we practise on it and should we not prevent from evil until we abstain from it completely?”
Rasulullaah SalAllaahu Alayhi Wasallam remarked, “No, in fact command good actions even if you do not practise it and prevent from evil even if you do not abstain from all of it.”
(Al-Mu’jamul-Awsat of Tabaraani vol. 6 page 365 no. 6628, Al-Mu’jamus-Sagheer of Tabaraani no. 981)

Logically also, a person will realize that if he is not doing one righteous action (practising), then he should not leave out another compulsory action (which is calling to righteousness and preventing evil.) Both are necessary.

To be Continued In Sha Allaah

مَوْلَاىَ صَلِّ وَ سَلِّمْ دَائِمًا أَبَداً  عَلىٰ حَبِيْبِكَ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ كُلِّهِم