Is knowledge a proof against its possessor if he does not teach it and is unable to disseminate it to people? Is listening to recorded lectures sufficient instead of attending study circles? And what is the benefit of knowledge if its fruits are not manifested in reality?

Seeking religious knowledge is one of the best ways to draw near to Allah, for Allah Almighty says: ﴿Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees.﴾ and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “If Allah wills good for someone, He grants him understanding in the religion.” And the notion that knowledge is a proof against you, or that it yields no fruit, is a deception from Satan. The fruit of knowledge is acting upon it, drawing near to Allah, and conveying and teaching it. Abandoning the pursuit of knowledge under the pretext of shortcomings in practice is a deception from Satan. It is not true that knowledge becomes a proof for you only if you convey it to people; rather, what is required by knowledge is to first reform yourself, then convey it as much as you are able. The wise person does not abandon an obligation like learning for fear of falling short in other matters. It is advisable to read the book "Talbis Iblis" (The Devil's Delusion) by Ibn al-Jawzi. As for sufficeing oneself with listening to audiotapes for learning, it is preferable for a student of knowledge not to limit themselves to them unless absolutely necessary, for direct interaction is better for benefiting from the شيخ (teacher/elder) in understanding difficulties and acquiring guidance and manners.