Sadly, today there are so many types of Ulama’ are “self proclaimed” Ulama’ just because they have a beard and wears a “serban” and know how to cut and paste Quranic verses into their speeches, facebook etc but in reality they don’t have any substance at all. That is the key factor Muslims today are “fuck up”.
Ability to read and understand Quran and other Islamic knowledge such as Feqah, rules and regulations are not enough. It is not easy to be Ulama’. They must have to master the knowledge of both worlds – the world and “akhirat” (hereafter) knowledges. Like in the old days, the days of Abu Bakar, Umar Khattab, Usman Affan, Ali etc. These guys are not just well known for their high knowledge in the akhirat / hereafter, they are also the masters of the world knowledge. These guys are the pioneers of the modern world we got today. From modern politics, administration, economy, military tactics, mathematics, scientific, philosophy etc, these types of guys gave LIGHT to the Europe Dark Ages.
In short, Ulama is a door to the knowledge world, not just Islamic world. Because Ulama meaning are derived from the word ILMU and ALIM which means educated class of Muslim scholar. They must perform, not just having a beard and wears a serban.
Rasulullah S.A.W quotes ;
”Celakalah bagi umatku (akibat) daripada (perbuatan) Ulama’-Us-Su”
(Related by Al-Hakim)
”Seburuk – buruk sesuatu daripada yang paling buruk ialah Ulama yang buruk, dan sebaik – baik sesuatu daripada yang paling baik ialah Ulama yang baik”.
(Related by Ad-Darimi)
The society will be destroyed and damaged when Ulama'-Su Us as Imam to follow and be reliable. Therefore, the public should know the difference between Ulama'-Su Us by scholars who inherit knowledge of the prophets. Ulama’-Us Su claimed can be categorized easily as a ”self proclaimed” Ulama. And there are so many of them nowadays especially that ones involve in petty politics.
Ulama are bunch of people positioned on the highest ranking in Islamic society and civilization, and they are the ones that carrying our prophet Muhammad S.A.W will. And they deserved the respect from us. Why they got that title and deserve that respect?
Is it simply they just have more knowledge on religion than us?
Is it simply they have beard, wear robes and head gear?
Is it simply cause they can pops out tonees of Fatwas?
Is it simply they can be judgmental by saying this guy kafir or that guy munafiq just by not agreeing with them?
Nope, nothing of the above. Ulama’ in short, in modern world today we called PRO’s the above only a small fraction of the Ulama’ bigger tasks or perks. These guys have most of the answers we seek whether it is religion or non-religion. These guys should know the answers or most of it. They are steering committee of the civilization, they are pioneers, and trend setters. They are one of the key factors that contributed the Golden Age of Islamic civilization long time ago. You can check out the history books, what the Ulama of the old days have done and achieved. Not just setting structured Islamic laws and books that are directly or indirectly involve in todays modern civilization achievements either it is in Mathematics, Science, Chemical, Politics, Navigation etc, they are the driven force behind Islamic Civilization achievements. These guys deserved the title. Being an Ulama is a very tough job, that’s why they got the title “Pewaris Nabi”.
So now, the so called today Ulama in Malaysia deserved the title “Pewaris Nabi” or the highest respect? Seriously, when I compared the pass history and today, I do not know they should deserve it.
The Ulamas should not just be neutral, but they must be able to uphold the standard PEWARIS NABI. They must be able to perform more than average people like us. Is it just by graduating from Al Azharr or sekolah pondok, wearing robes, serba, have a beard and can understand Al-Quran and Sunnah alone can be PEWARIS NABI? When I compared the past and today, I DON’T THINK SO!
I take one example, Umar Al-Khattab, he standardized the Dinar currency system for the whole Middle East continent (not just 1 country) which at the end become more fairer and corrected the unfairness of barter trade system that was implemented during that time. There’s many more example. You guys can check it out in the history books what the Ulamas of the past have done and achieved.
Personally, why we today, don’t have Ulamas like in the past? It might got to do with the training today. As I opened up the biographies of the past Ulamas, their training are strict, and the training methods have a pattern. By 6 years old, most of the future Ulamas are already mastered the Al-Quran in and out, people called it Tahfiz. Actually from Tahfiz they learn one trait – photographic memory which is essential in learning or storing complex information in your brain. After their mastered the Tahfiz school, they are sent to a more specialized school of their interest either medical, Geography, legal, economics, detailed Islamic studies etc. It is the same pattern Imam Al-Ghazali, Ibn Nafis, Ibn Rusyd, Al Gebra, Ibn Sina – their training almost the same pattern – master Tahfiz first by 6 to 10 years old, then sent to the specialized school. That’s why they are top performers and positioned in a very high ranking in the society. These Ulamas are GENIUS!! And they fit the title – ULAMA PEWARIS NABI.
I’ve heard there’s a politician proposed a system or an idea “mengulamakan Ulama” in order to strengthen the Ummah. We can’t depend anymore on sekolah pondok or Al-Azhar to give birth of Ulamas today, must be new training system like the old days.
Somehow I do agree, cause Ulamas today personally aint the same as Ulama before which their masters the knowledge of both worlds, either it is religion or non-religion.