Someone who recites without knowledge is like a vain man who has neither property nor wealth; for people do not hate someone for his lack of possessions, but they detest him for his vanity. He is always at odds with creation in that which is not obligatory upon him, and he who contests creation in what he is not commanded to do is contesting the process of creativity and absolute lordship.
As Allah said,
Among men is he who disputes in respect of Allah though having no knowledge, nor guidance, nor a book giving light. (31:20)
None will have a harsher punishment than someone who claims a right to the mantle of knowledge without having either the truth or the meaning of it.
Zayd ibn Thabit said to his son, ‘My son, do not let Allah see your name in the register of the vain reciters.’ And the Holy Prophet said, ‘A time will come for my community in which hearing the name of the man who recites will be considered better than studying, and studying will be considered better than doing the thing with experience … The greatest number of hypocrites in my community are among the reciters of the Qur’an.’
Be where the faith recommends you to be, and where you are commanded to be. Conceal your inner state from other people as much as you can. Make your acts of obedience to Allah have the same relationship as your soul has to your body, so they become an indication of the state you have attained between yourself and your Originator. Seek Allah’s help in all your affairs, and beseech Allah humbly at the end of the night and at the end of the day. Allah said,
Call on your Lord humbly and secretly; surely He does not love those who exceed the limits. (7:55)
Transgressing is one of the attributes, indeed, one of the hallmarks, of the reciters of our time. Be fearful of Allah in all your affairs, so that you do not fall into the arena of desire and destroy yourself.