In the past, scholars used to despise the knowledge of worldly people. Worldly people would aspire to their knowledge and would dedicate their lives to obtain it. However, today, scholars have dedicated their knowledge to worldly people. As a result, worldly people have lost interest in their knowledge and have belittled them by exerting their worldly possessions upon them.
كَانَ أَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ فِيمَا مَضَى يَضَنُّونَ بِعِلْمِهِمْ عَنْ أَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا فَيَرْغَبُ أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا فِي عِلْمِهِمْ فَيَبْذُلُونَ لَهُمْ دُنْيَاهُمْ وَإِنَّ أَهْلَ الْعِلْمِ الْيَوْمَ بَذَلُوا عِلْمَهُمْ لِأَهْلِ الدُّنْيَا فَزَهِدَ أَهْلُ الدُّنْيَا فِي عِلْمِهِمْ فَضَنُّوا عَلَيْهِمْ بِدُنْيَاهُمْ