Al Baqarah

أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّ وَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ

Do you enjoin righteousness upon people while you forget your own selves (to practice it)? And you read the Scripture? Have you then no sense? (2:44)

This verse is apparently addressing and scorning the scholars of the Jews who, before the Divine invitation of Hadrat Muhammad (S), recommended people to embrace Islam. They enjoined them to pay charity and favour each other, but they did not do these good deeds themselves. They did not accept Islam in order to continue their mastership, nor pay charity lest they might become poor. But, the verse, in fact, addresses and admonishes all those who habitually recommend others to piety and neglect their own souls.

Do you enjoin righteousness upon people while you forget your own selves (to practice it)?... (2:44)

It is not logical that a person enjoins his fellow men to help others and work righteousness but he himself does not observe it. That is why, at the end of the verse, it says:

…And you read the Scripture? Have you then no sense? (2:44)

It inquires how you do not understand that you should enjoin righteousness on yourselves first and do accordingly to be as an example, and then expect others to obey you and receive your recommendation, with their whole hearts. Experience has proved that words which are uttered only by the tongue, as simple statements, physically strike the ears and perish. But reasonable speech that arises from the soul and reality settles in souls firmly and affects hearts deeply.