On Attending Gatherings Where Knowledge is Sought

Taken from Ibn al-Jawzee's Talbees Iblees, p. 393

"Satan has mislead the masses to believe that attending of religious discourses and raising a wail of woe are highly meritorious acts and the sole purpose of delivering these sermons. This is perhaps because the people have been told about the merits of listening to these discourses but they do not know that the end of these sermons is (supposed to be the) reformation of their own morals and rectitude of their behaviour. Nor do they appear to be aware that whatever they listen to in these lectures shall be cited as an evidence against them on the Doomsday.

I personally know a number of persons who have been attending such discourses for a number of years. They get excited on hearing these sermons and burst into tears but they still persist in accepting interest (ribaa), cheating others in their trade, remaining unmindful of the religious performances, and disobedience to their parents. Satan has led them to believe that their presence in these sermons, their lamentations and fits of crying will atone for their neglected duties and-the sins of omission and commission. There are also others who think that accompanying the pious and godly persons or paying visits to them shall be enough for expiation of their sins."