Adam Sayid
Though today the word ‘Ulama’ in the Muslim vocabulary has a completely different usage (as with many Qur’anic terminologies unfortunately), in the Qur’an however it is more closer to applying for scientists, experts, scholars, intellectuals etc, who have garnered a remarkable understanding in a specific field in relation to the physical world. As the Qur’an makes clear references to generic natural sciences and then refers to experts who explore these natural phenomena and gain knowledge, as ‘Ulama’. The ‘Ulama’, are therefore, scientists not clerics!
For example, the following verses clearly illustrates that scientists better appreciate God’s wonders, as it mentions several branches of scientific enquiries such as physics, botany, geology, biology, anthropology and zoology before stating that only the learned in these matters appreciate the grandness of God,
“Do you not consider how God causes water to descend from the sky, and produce fruit and flower of different colours, and causes in the mountains streaks of white and red, and varying shades of black obsidian?! Similarly different shades of colours are found among humans, beasts and cattle! Indeed, only the learned in these matters from amongst his devotees truly appreciate the grandness of God. Truly God is all-mighty and forgiving.” (35:27-28 – English rendition by Adam Sayid)
On the other hand, the so-called ‘Ulama’ of today only occupy themselves in matters relating to some religious rituals and ceremonialistic adjuncts of an institutional religion, and have no concern to the natural phenomena around them. They do not realise that the more intimate is our contact with nature, the deeper is our insight into the working of God’s divine law that guides the universe.
In-fact, these clerics are not even thinkers and they don’t even have the capability of independent analysis of even their own ‘field’, as they are opposed to intellectual independence. They would rather regurgitate ideas that are given to them via archaic books that they have memorised without question. Many simply care only about how their religion looks on a superficial level, regardless of the problems it may be causing to humanity. Most of them are stunning simpletons, and clearly display that they suffer from ‘Dunning Kruger Effect’ when arguing their points. As long as they could stay cloistered in study circles discussing their four schools of law and despising indifferences from a distance in vague syllogisms, they are content. Some of them suffer as a spiritual narcissist who claim for themselves superior divine connection as a way of gaining power over others! They are religious pimps using the public for their ill-gotten livelihood. The Qur’an mentions this,
“Believers! Many religious leaders consume people’s wealth illicitly, and hinder them from God’s path.” (9:34 – English rendition by Adam Sayid)
The Qur’an strongly stands against such clergymen and their followers. The following verse explains this thus,
“Surely, supreme sanctification is reserved exclusively for God. Therefore, God himself will contest and prosecute those who disputed this and justified such sanctification of others as their guardian saints alongside God, reasoning their claim as follows, ‘the only reason of our devotion to them is to ultimately bring us closer to God’. Truly, God does not grace with his guidance such lying impostors!” (39:3 – English rendition by Adam Sayid)
