If a person is standing between the absence of knowledge and the absence of action, which one comes first and has a better outcome in the world and the Hereafter? In other words, who is more excused in the sight of Allah: one who acquires knowledge but does not act upon it, or one who can acquire knowledge but refrains from doing so out of fear of not acting?
Not acting upon knowledge is one sin, but not acquiring knowledge is two sins; because the human being’s obligation is to acquire knowledge and act upon it. Therefore, one who acquires knowledge but does not act upon it fulfills one of his two obligations and neglects the other. However, one who deliberately neglects acquiring knowledge, running away from responsibility, neglects both his obligations and is therefore considered more sinful; as it has been narrated from al-Thawri that he said: «بَلَغَنَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: <وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ يَعْلَمُ وَلَا يَعْمَلُ، وَوَيْلٌ ثُمَّ وَيْلٌ لِمَنْ لَا يَعْلَمُ وَلَا يَتَعَلَّمُ> مَرَّتَيْنِ»[1]; “It has reached us from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his family, that he said: ‘Woe to one who knows but does not act. And woe, then woe to one who does not know and does not learn,’ twice,” and it has been narrated that a man came to Abu Dharr and said: «إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ، وَأَخَافُ أَنْ أُضِيعَهُ وَلَا أَعْمَلَ بِهِ»; “I want to learn knowledge, but I fear that I will neglect it and not act upon it,” and Abu Dharr said: «أَمَا إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَوْسَّدْتَ الْعِلْمَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَتَوَسَّدَ الْجَهْلَ»; “Indeed, if you make knowledge your pillow, it is better for you than making ignorance your pillow”[2]; ibn al-Anbari (d. 328 AH) has said: «يَعْنِي أَنْ تَحْفَظَ الْعِلْمَ وَتَنَامَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَعْمَلْ بِهِ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَنَامَ عَلَى الْجَهْلِ؛ لِأَنَّ الْعِلْمَ يُؤَمَّلُ لِصَاحِبِهِ، وَإِنْ تَرَكَ الْعَمَلَ بِهِ فِي وَقْتٍ، أَنْ يُنَبِّهَ لِلْعَمَلِ بِهِ فِي وَقْتٍ آخَرَ»[3]; “It means that if you preserve knowledge and sleep upon it, even if you do not act upon it, it is better for you than sleeping upon ignorance; because knowledge holds promise for its possessor, even if he leaves acting upon it for a time, that he may be reminded to act upon it at another time,” and a man said to Abu Hurairah: «أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَعَلَّمَ الْعِلْمَ، وَأَخَافُ أَنْ أُضِيعَهُ»; “I want to learn knowledge, but I fear that I will neglect it,” and Abu Hurairah said: «كَفَى بِتَرْكِ الْعِلْمِ إِضَاعَةً»; “Leaving knowledge is sufficient neglect.”[4] It is understood from here that an ignorant person who is negligent is no better than a knowledgeable person who does not act upon his knowledge, but rather he is more miserable and at a greater loss, and there is no excuse for either of them in the sight of Allah.
Yes, if an ignorant person on Earth is unable to acquire knowledge, meaning he is incapable of doing so due to a deficiency in his intellect, weakness in his body, being held captive by oppressors, or living in a remote place that is extremely difficult to leave, and he does not have the minimum necessary facilities to acquire knowledge or migrate to a suitable place, and is not even aware of scholarly subjects and differences among people that require research and seeking knowledge, then he is not considered sinful, or he is eligible for forgiveness; as Allah Almighty has said about such people: ﴿إِلَّا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا فَأُولَئِكَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَنْ يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ ۚ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا﴾[5]; “Except for the oppressed among men and women and children who have no means and find no way; so it is hoped that Allah will pardon them. And Allah is Ever-Pardoning, the Most Forgiving.”