Our Need for Scholars: A Scientific Response to the Doubt of Dispensing with Religious Scholars
In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the noblest of messengers.
To proceed: among the questions raised in the modern age is: “Why do we need scholars between us and Allah? Why can’t every person understand his religion by himself and worship his Lord as he wishes? Is the existence of a class of religious scholars who control the understanding of texts a kind of rejected clericalism? Allah is near and answers the supplication of the caller, so why do we need someone to interpret His words for us and teach us how to worship Him?” This is a question that deserves a clear, scholarly answer, revealing the true role of scholars in Islam and the difference between it and the rejected clericalism.
But though this question may appear, on the surface, logical and acceptable, it is built upon a dangerous confusion between distinct concepts and clear logical fallacies that require clarification and correction. A superficial view that equates teaching with mediation, and guidance with control, leads to a distorted understanding of the nature of sacred knowledge and the role of scholars in the Muslim community.
The First Error: Confusing Priestly Mediation with Scholarly Instruction
The first thing to notice about this doubt is that it rests on a major conflation between two entirely different concepts: “priestly mediation” and “scholarly instruction.” The one raising the doubt treats religious scholars as if they were priestly intermediaries, whereas in reality they are teachers and guides.
In some corrupted religions, clergy monopolize the relationship with the deity: they claim to be the only intermediaries between people and their Lord, assert authority over forgiveness and exclusion, sell indulgences, and prevent ordinary people from reading sacred texts.
In Islam, the matter is entirely different. Scholars are not intermediaries between the servant and his Lord in any priestly sense whatsoever. A Muslim does not need a scholar to call upon Allah, seek His forgiveness, or repent to Him. Supplication is direct, repentance is direct, and worship requires no intermediary. Allah the Exalted says: “And when My servants ask you about Me, indeed I am near. I answer the supplication of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 186]
To clarify this difference with a simple example: the scholar in Islam is like a physician. The physician diagnoses the illness and prescribes the treatment, but the patient is the one who takes the medicine. The physician does not claim to heal; he claims knowledge of the means that lead to healing. Likewise, the scholar explains the path to Allah and clarifies the rulings of the Shari‘ah, but the believer is the one who walks the path and applies the rulings.
So where is mediation in this? Where is clericalism? The scholar does not possess forgiveness of sins or acceptance of repentance. He cannot admit anyone to Paradise or Hell. He has no spiritual authority—only scholarly authority. His role is teaching and clarification, not mediation and intercession.
The Second Error: The Fallacy of Rejecting Specialization
The second error in this doubt is rejecting the principle of specialization, which contradicts the universal order, sound reason, and lived reality.
Specialization is a universal law across all areas of life. No one says: “Why do I need a doctor? This is my body and I know it myself!” Or: “Why do I need an engineer? I can build my house myself!” Or: “Why do I need a lawyer? I can defend myself!” Or: “Why do I need a teacher? I can teach myself!”
If worldly matters—despite their limited scope—require specialists, then how about matters related to Allah, of whom nothing resembles? How about sciences related to a Book revealed in a specific language, in a specific time, to a specific people, then spread to the world? How about the Sunnah, containing thousands of hadiths—authentic, weak, and fabricated?
Let us ask practical questions: do all people memorize the Qur’an and the Sunnah? And if someone memorizes them, does he know their meanings as the Arabs of the language knew them? Does he know the reasons for revelation and the contexts of hadith? Can he distinguish abrogating from abrogated, general from specific, absolute from restricted?
The obvious answer is no. This confirms that religion—though needed by everyone—its detailed knowledge and rulings are not mastered by every individual, and that is where the necessity of specialization becomes clear.
The Third Error: Neglecting the Complexities of Understanding Sacred Texts
The third error is neglecting the reality that sacred texts—despite clarity in major foundations—contain details that require specialized knowledge to understand.
The Qur’an, though a book of guidance for all, contains verses that are decisive and others that are ambiguous; it contains general and specific texts, absolute and restricted texts, abrogating and abrogated rulings. Allah the Exalted says: “It is He who has sent down to you the Book; in it are verses that are decisive—they are the foundation of the Book—and others are ambiguous. As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow what is ambiguous of it, seeking trial and seeking its interpretation. And none knows its interpretation except Allah and those firmly grounded in knowledge.” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 7]
Why would Allah mention “those firmly grounded in knowledge” if every person could understand everything by himself? This is decisive proof that there are different levels of understanding, and that some matters require deep grounding in knowledge.
Consider a practical example: how would an ordinary person—who does not know Arabic, or knows little of it—understand Allah’s statement: “Men are caretakers of women” [Sūrat al-Nisā’: 34]? Without knowing the meaning of “caretakers” in Arabic usage, without knowing the context, and without understanding the comprehensive meaning of the verse, he could misunderstand it entirely.
Criterion One: Scholars Are Teachers, Not Intermediaries
The difference between the scholar in Islam and the priest in distorted religions is fundamental and essential:
The priest in some distorted religions claims to mediate between people and the deity, alleges that he possesses the power to grant forgiveness, monopolizes the interpretation of texts, prevents ordinary people from reading sacred books, sells indulgences, and claims a sanctified spiritual authority.
The scholar in Islam teaches people their religion, explains the texts to them, clarifies the rulings for them, and guides them to the correct path. But he does not claim mediation, does not possess forgiveness, and does not monopolize interpretation. On the contrary, he encourages people to learn, read, and ask questions.
The prophets themselves were teachers to their peoples: they clarified to them Allah’s rulings and taught them how to worship Him. If people needed the prophets—who are protected from error—how could they not need scholars after them?
The Prophet ﷺ said: “The scholars are the heirs of the prophets. The prophets did not leave behind a dinar or a dirham; they only left behind knowledge. Whoever takes it has taken an abundant share.” [Abū Dāwūd: 3641]
Thus, scholars fulfill the role of the prophets in teaching and clarification, not in mediation and intercession.
Criterion Two: Specialization Is a Rational and Religious Necessity
Specialization in the Islamic sciences is not a luxury or needless complication. It is a rational and religious necessity demanded by the nature of the discipline itself.
Rational necessity: sound reason affirms that every field has its specialists. The Islamic sciences are multiple disciplines that require:
• Mastery of the Arabic language and its sciences (grammar, morphology, rhetoric, literature)• Knowledge of Qur’anic sciences (tafsīr, reasons for revelation, abrogating and abrogated)• Mastery of hadith sciences (transmission, analysis, narrator criticism and accreditation)• Understanding the principles of jurisprudence, its rules, and the objectives of the Shari‘ah• Familiarity with the prophetic biography (sīrah)
How could an ordinary person master all of this without specialized study?
The law itself affirms the principle of specialization and the need to refer back to the people of knowledge. Allah the Exalted says: “So ask the people of remembrance if you do not know.” [Sūrat al-Naḥl: 43] If every person could understand everything by himself, Allah would not have commanded asking the people of remembrance.
Criterion Three: The Texts Require Knowledge for Correct Understanding
The sacred texts—despite clarity in broad foundations—contain details and subtleties that require specialized knowledge to understand correctly:
In the Qur’an: there are decisive and ambiguous texts; general and specific texts; absolute and restricted texts; abrogating and abrogated texts. There are also revelations sent down in Makkah and in Madinah, and revelations revealed in times of war and in times of peace. All of this affects understanding and application.
In the Sunnah: there are authentic, sound, weak, and fabricated reports. There are also general and specific texts, absolute and restricted texts, and abrogating and abrogated reports. Distinguishing these requires hadith scholarship and knowledge of narrators and chains.
In fiqh and rulings: the texts interrelate and complement one another. A ruling may be derived from multiple texts taken together, or from analogy, or from broad objectives. This requires a deep understanding of legal theory.
Criterion Four: The Daily Practical Need for Scholars
In daily life, the Muslim encounters many issues that require specialized religious knowledge:
In financial dealings: Islamic banking, insurance, stock markets, digital currencies, and e-commerce. How can an ordinary person judge these matters without returning to a specialist?
In medical dilemmas: IVF, organ transplantation, genetic engineering, abortion, and euthanasia. These are complex matters that require both medical and legal understanding.
In family matters: complex divorce rulings, intertwined inheritance cases, maintenance and custody disputes. All of this requires precise knowledge of the legal rulings.
In acts of worship: rulings for prayer during travel and illness, zakāh on modern investments, and fasting for the sick. Even worship has details that require knowledge.
A Real-World Witness: The Danger of Ijtihād Without Knowledge
Contemporary reality is filled with examples showing the danger of dispensing with scholars and practicing ijtihād without knowledge:
Deviant sects: most misguided sects in Islamic history emerged because people ventured into interpretation without knowledge and explained the texts according to their desires, so they went astray and led others astray.
Contemporary terrorism: terrorist groups rely on incorrect interpretations of texts produced by people who lack sufficient sacred knowledge, so they deem killing lawful and forbid what Allah has made lawful.
Innovations and superstitions: many innovations and superstitions spread due to people’s ignorance and their failure to return to trustworthy scholars.
Anomalous fatwas: social media has spread eccentric fatwas from people without scholarly qualification, causing confusion in people’s understanding of religion.
Warning Against Charlatans Without Abolishing Specialization
Yes, there are those who claim knowledge while they are ignorant, or who exploit religion for personal interests. But the existence of a fraudulent doctor does not eliminate the need for medicine, and the existence of a corrupt scholar does not eliminate the need for knowledge.
What is required is to distinguish between the true scholar and the pretender. This is possible by looking at:
• His scholarly formation: did he study under recognized scholars? did he master the foundational sciences?
• His practical integrity: does he practice what he calls to? does his conduct align with his knowledge?
• The conformity of his statements to the Qur’an and Sunnah: are his fatwas built on sound evidence?
• The testimony of scholars about him: do reputable scholars affirm his standing?
Conclusion: Balance Between Independence and the Need for Knowledge
After this detailed analysis and comprehensive clarification, it becomes clear that the doubt being raised rests on a foundational confusion between distinct concepts and a neglect of clear realities regarding the nature of knowledge and specialization.
We have seen that this doubt hinges on three main errors: confusing priestly mediation with scholarly instruction, falling into the fallacy of rejecting specialization, and neglecting the complexities of the sacred texts. We also saw that scholars in Islam are teachers, not intermediaries, and they do not claim mediation between the servant and his Lord.
We saw that specialization is an unavoidable rational and religious necessity; that the sacred texts contain complexities requiring specialized knowledge; and that practical life is filled with issues that demand a reliable scholarly reference.
We saw that the danger of dispensing with scholars and engaging in ijtihād without knowledge appears in the spread of deviant sects, innovations, superstitions, and anomalous fatwas. Yet the presence of some charlatans does not negate the importance of specialization; rather, it confirms the necessity of distinguishing between the true scholar and the pretender.
Islam is a religion of balance. It affirms the direct relationship between the servant and his Lord in worship, supplication, and repentance. At the same time, it affirms the importance of knowledge, learning, and returning to specialists in scholarly matters. Scholars in Islam are not a veil between people and their Lord. They are guides and teachers who point to the correct path.
The truth is that the presence of scholars is a blessing from Allah upon the Ummah: they protect the religion from distortion, clarify to people what has been revealed to them, and strive in new matters according to the Shar‘i standards. So all praise is due to Allah who has placed, in every age, scholars who carry out this great duty.
We ask Allah the Exalted to grant us beneficial knowledge and righteous deeds, to guide us—by His permission—to the truth concerning what people differ over, and to make us among those who listen to speech and follow the best of it; and to grant us rabbānī scholars who guide us to good and warn us against evil. Indeed, He is All-Hearing, All-Responding, and He knows best and is most wise.
And Allah knows best. And may peace and blessings be upon our prophet Muhammad and upon his family and his companions, all of them.