Some factors leading to elevation or degradation of a possessor of knowledge.
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah said:
وَٱتۡلُ عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَبَأَ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَٱنسَلَخَ مِنۡهَا فَأَتۡبَعَهُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاوِينَ
وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَرَفَعۡنَـٰهُ بِہَا وَلَـٰكِنَّهُ ۥۤ أَخۡلَدَ إِلَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَٮٰهُۚ فَمَثَلُهُ ۥ كَمَثَلِ ٱلۡڪَلۡبِ إِن تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡهِ يَلۡهَثۡ أَوۡ تَتۡرُڪۡهُ يَلۡهَثۚ ذَّٲلِكَ مَثَلُ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُواْ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَاۚ فَٱقۡصُصِ ٱلۡقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
And recite (O Muhammad) to them the story of him to whom We gave Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), but he threw them away, so Shaitan followed him up, and he became of those who went astray. And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith but he clung to the earth and followed his own vain desire. So, his description is the description of a dog: if you drive him away, he lolls his tongue out, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls his tongue out. Such is the description of the people who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.). So, relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect.
وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَرَفَعۡنَـٰهُ بِہَا
“And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith”.
Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim said:
Allah informed us that being elevated in His presence is not merely acquired through knowledge, for indeed this person was from the scholars; instead elevation is acquired through adherence to the truth, giving precedence to it and aiming to please Allah. Indeed, this person was among the most knowledgeable during his era, but he was neither elevated through his knowledge nor did he benefit from it. We seek Allah’s protection from knowledge that does not benefit. Thus, Allah informed us that He is the One Who will raise a servant-if He wills-with the knowledge He bestows on them, otherwise the servant will be degraded. The Rabb [i.e. Allaah- The Creator, The All- Provider and in Whose Hand is the Dominion of everything] is the One alone Who degrades and raises (His servants), and He degraded this person and did not raise him.
وَلَوۡ شِئۡنَا لَرَفَعۡنَـٰهُ بِہَا
“And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him there with”.
Meaning: Had we willed, We would have given him preference (over others), ennobled him, raised his status and rank by way of the Aayaat we gave him.
Ibn Abbas said: Had Allah willed, He would have raised this person through the knowledge he possessed.
وَلَـٰكِنَّهُ ۥۤ أَخۡلَدَ إِلَى ٱلۡأَر
“But he clung to the earth”.
Muqaatilsaid: He became pleased with the Dunya.
وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَٮٰهُۚ
“And followed his own vain desire”.
Al-Kalbee said: He pursued the lowly things and abandoned the lofty affairs.
Abu Rawqa said: He chose the Dunyah over the Hereafter.
Ataa said: He wanted the Dunya and obeyed his shaytan.
Ibn Zayd said: He followed his desires by joining those who fought Musa, peace be upon him, and his people.
This is a description of an evil scholar who acts in opposition to the knowledge he possesses.
*He went astray after having knowledge. He intentionally chose disbelief over Iman and not out of ignorance.
*He left Iman in a manner that did not allow him to ever return to it again, for indeed he threw away the Aayaat of Allah completely just as a snake exits its skin. Had he been left with anything, he would not have been one who exited from it completely.
*Shaytan overwhelmed him and caught him as his prey.
*He [غوى-strayed] after being upon a state of [الرشد-the right course- well guided in affairs of the religion]. The word [الغي] means to be misguided in knowledge and intention, and it is more specified to corruption in knowledge and action, just as the word [الضلال] is more specified to corruption in knowledge and creed. When one of the two words is mentioned on its own, it includes the meaning of the other; but if mentioned together, then each of them takes its more specific meaning as mentioned above.
*Allah did not wish to raise him by way of knowledge and that was the cause of his destruction. Because he was not raised by way of knowledge, it became a source of anxiety for him. It would have been better for him not to be a scholar and would have lessened the punishment he will receive.
Allah informed us of this person’s wicked goal, for he gave preference to the most despicable [path] over the noblest [path].
*His choice [i.e. preferring evil] was not due to thoughts that crossed his mind and ideas he was unconscious of; rather it was due to [إخلاد إلى الأرض clinging to the earth- following his desires constantly].
Az-Zujaaj said: The root of the words [خلد and أخلد] is [خلود], and it means to be constant in something and to remain upon something.
*He turned away from guidance and followed his vain desires. He made his vain desires a guide for himself and followed it. [1]
“And had We willed, We would surely have elevated him therewith” by granting him the ability to act upon it, thereby raising him in both this world and the Hereafter, allowing him to be fortified against his enemies. However, he did what led him to be forsaken, thus, he clung to the earth, meaning (clung to) base desires and worldly ambitions. He followed his (vain) desires and abandoned obedience to his Protector (Allah). [2]
[1] An Excerpt from “Bada’i at-Tafsir Al-Jami Limaa Fassarahu Al-Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim 1/426-431
[2] An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi