The welfare of the people depends on the welfare of scholars and rulers; their corruption also depends on the corruption of scholars and rulers. As the Holy Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “Two groups of people, if they are righteous, the people will be reformed, and if they are corrupt, the people will also face corruption: Scholars and Rulers.”
This is a fact that has been proven in practice and exemplified in every era and place. When these two groups are on a path other than Islam—such as when the ruler is corrupt, plundering the people’s wealth, spending it on lusts and desires, and considering what is lawful for Allah to be forbidden and what is forbidden to be lawful—they interpret Islamic rules, focus on a country’s progress in non-Islamic ideologies, look for justice and truth in the current laws, stay away from Islamic laws, free themselves from the shackles of religion, and close off the path to returning to Islam, calling its laws stagnant. We see that tongues are dumb, pens are broken, prison doors are open as a sign of fear and terror, and dreaded cells are ready to accept people confronted by these rulers.
Scholars remain silent in front of these rulers; they do not advise but instead prioritize their own well-being and justify their inaction. They turn to the interpretation of verses and hadiths. Despite witnessing the rulers’ crimes, they maintain that there is wisdom in silence, doing nothing and regretfully declaring, “reform is not possible, and there is no room for denial.”
Calamity and corruption have become widespread, and instructions and statements are useless because there are no listening ears or awakening hearts. Scholars do nothing to ward off these calamities, and if they remain silent and isolate themselves, they bear no sin; for Allah punishes the oppressors, and they are powerless before Him. These are but a few of their sayings, expressed in words that convey the same meaning, as they forget the saying of the Lord of the Worlds: «وَإِذْ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللَّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا قَالُوا مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ» (“And (remember the Jews) when a group of their (peaceful predecessors) said to those (who were admonishing and preaching to the rebellious) why do you admonish a people whom Allah will destroy or will punish severely? They said, so that we may be excused before our Lord and perhaps they may become conscious (and avoid sin).”)
Since the status of the scholars and rulers has reached this point, and the Islamic world has arrived at its current state, it is necessary for those who possess knowledge, grace, and piety to recognize the truth and raise their voices in support of it, even if they stand alone: «كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِما كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ» (“Everyone is responsible for his own actions”).
Additionally, corruption has taken root in the land, manifesting in various forms, such as corruption within the legal system, government organizations, offices, societal thoughts, and especially in the feelings of rulers who mistakenly believe they are doing good despite spreading corruption. We see some scholars who are content to pray but whose speeches, when given, stifle, rather than revive, the hearts of their listeners. Consequently, people drift away from such scholars due to the repetitive nature of their statements and the disconnection of their speeches from the realities of life and societal feelings. This group may address corruption and the actions of rulers out of fear of the populace or to win their approval. Some scholars have been co-opted by rulers to promote their agendas through media platforms.
Certain scholars consider their own actions to be noble and interpret religious texts to align with the working methods of rulers and their laws. We have heard from many who endorse socialism and communism, misusing religious texts to mislead people into thinking they oppose Islam.
These groups of scholars lend their support in order to align themselves with socialist rulers, while another group adopts a similar stance to get closer to democratic and capitalist leaders, despite all these ideologies (socialism, communism, democracy, and capitalism) being corrupt systems.
We also observe others moving swiftly towards the relevant palaces and institutions, eager to make their names known and profit from associations with them.
Thus, these groups of scholars are wicked and seditious; they acknowledge the lies of the rulers and facilitate their oppression to satisfy their own selfish desires.
The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) disapproved of their actions, warning the Ummah: “Soon, wicked and oppressive rulers will appear. If anyone acknowledges their lies and aids them in their oppression, he is not from my followers; I have nothing to do with him, and he will not enter the Kosar pool.”
Furthermore, Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Two groups have broken my back: one is the slanderous scholar, and the other is the pious ignorant. The ignorant deceives people with his piety, while the scholar causes people to stumble and commit errors by misrepresenting Allah.”
Maulana Abdul Aziz al-Badari (may Allah have mercy on him) studied what Imam Ghazali wrote about scholars, explaining that any corruption in the world rests heavily on the shoulders of scholars, who are acutely aware of the causes of this widespread corruption. Additionally, he noted that scholars are the salt of the nation, and when the salt is rotten, what can rectify it? Imam Ghazali poignantly illustrated this point through a poem aimed at scholars: “O group of scholars, O salt of the country, salt does not enhance anything when it is rotten.” He elaborated that people’s hearts have become enamored with temporary gains while neglecting and being ignorant of the hereafter. He identified scholars’ illnesses and helplessness as significant causes of this misfortune. Scholars are the healers of hearts and minds, yet when they themselves are ill, the likelihood of them treating others diminishes, and the affliction becomes chronic.
This was Imam Ghazali’s observation about the scholars of his time; what can be said about the scholars of today?