To answer this question, we’d better to consider a story full of wisdom between Imam Hasan al-Basri and a slave who is eager to be free from the shackles of his master. This story is stated in the book Al-Fawaid al Mukhtaroh li Saliki Tariqil Akhiroh, which contains the wisdom of the words of Habib Zain bin Ibrahim bin Sumaith. In the book, it is told that the reason of Imam Hasan Al-Basri never obeyed the request of a congregation who asked him to deliver a sermon about freeing slaves.
“I postpone your request is none other than because at that time I had never owned a slave, and I did not have enough wealth to buy slaves, until one day God gave me fortune to buy slaves. After I bought it, I freed the slave. Since then I just want to convey the theme of the preaching according to your request. I just don’t want to preach about something that I haven’t experienced at all,” Imam Hasan al-Basri explained the reason to a man who was a former slave.
Is it still appropriate for us to advise through writing after reading the story of Hasan Al Basri above? The answer is certainly inappropriate. Then should we leave the world of writing because we don’t yet have a match between our behavior and our writing? Wait a minute. Indeed, behavior cannot be said to be complete. But should we wait to become a new Hasan Al-Basri to simply tell others that something is bad and another thing is good?
To become a preacher there is indeed a demand for moral compatibility with what is conveyed. Al-waidz or a preacher has moral responsibility to what they convey. In addition, a preacher with a bad moral is like a liar who likes to cover up his own disgrace by conveying holy sentences. Meanwhile, Allah says, “There is great hatred in the sight of Allah, that you say whatever you do not do.” – (QS.61: 3)
Then, is it a must for preachers / writers have to show his disgrace? Should they tell all their sins in front of those who are advised, so that they are not branded liars? Again, wait a minute. Gus Baha (KH Bahauddin Nursalim) once conveyed the sin of a father which is increasing unexpectedly because he told his children that in his youth he had been dating. Since, stories like this tend to inspire others (in this case children) to do the similar things.