It seems that there is a general disregard for the need of religious scholars in understanding the Quran these days. I would like readers comments on my understanding and their comments. Please tell me where am I wrong? Does every one agrees?

When I talk of religious scholars, I mean those who spend their time and effort understanding the Quran. Not mullahs and molvis. The scholars who are well known for their learning, (Taqi Usmani, Abdul Aziz Bin Baz, Ibn Uthaymeen, Ibn Taymeea, Al-albani to name a few) excluding the likes of self professed modernized reformist Mullas of today Tahir-ul-Qadri and the late Maulana Maudoodi.

While we must not blindly follow anyone, to think that there is no need for an expert on religion is a mistake. It is only natural to have more knowledge on what we have studied and spent our time on. A cardiologist will know the ins and outs of the heart. A cobbler will know the ins and outs of a shoe. If we need our shoe repaired we will go to a cobbler and if we have a heart problem, we will see a doctor. But while seeking advice we should be able to tell the difference between a doctor and a quack. Other wise we face ludicrous and often life threatening consequences. Similarly, unlike a Mullah, a religious scholar who has studied the Quran in Arabic, the history surrounding it, the example of the Prophet (SAW) will be far better equipped in understanding Islamic laws.

I am repeating myself we need experts in every field Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Agriculture, Teaching, every field, including Religion. In every field of life, common sense and logic dictates that the most sensible thing to do is to go the specialist, the one who has studied the discipline and specialized in it yet when it comes to religion we think illogically, coming up with answers that are the most convenient for us but are not the most correct and evidence based.

Some people having no systematic knowledge of Islamic disciplines often become deluded by their superficial information based on self-study, and that too, in most cases, through translations of the Holy Qur?an and ahadith. By virtue of this kind of cursory study, they presume themselves to be the masters of the Islamic learning, and start criticizing the former Muslim jurists. This attitude is incorrect and devoid of any justification. The inference of juristic rules from the Holy Qur?an and Sunnah is a very meticulous exercise which cannot be carried out on the basis of a sketchy study.

This is just like a layman who forget knowing medical terminology, doesn?t even know the language in which it is taught ie. English. Yet, when he gets his hands on a medical textbook by chance, he starts trying to read it and says that my conclusions are better and different than all the trained doctors and specialists out there just because I came across some quacks on the way who didn?t know how to treat me. All of the doctors who have ever studied medicine are wrong and I am right. That medicine is not only the doctors ?personal domain? and that every common man has a right to perform surgeries just like me! Tell, me what would you say about a person like that? Yet that is exactly what each of us tries to do? I mean we don?t know even the language in which the vast majority of Islamic sources and knowledge is in! We are not even in 1st grade and we have the gall to say all of the specialists (jusrists and scholars) out there are wrong just because we have come across some quacks (mullahs) on the way!

While studying a particular juristic subject one has to collect all the relevant material from the Holy Qur?an and from the ahadith found in different chapters and different books, and to undertake a combined study of this scattered material. He has to examine the veracity of the relevant ahadith in the light of the well settled principles of the science of hadith. He has to discover the historical background of the relevant verses and traditions. In short, he has to resolve a number of complicated issues involved. All this exercise requires very intensive and extensive knowledge which is seldom found in the contemporary 'Ulama, who have specialized themselves in the subject, let alone the common people who have no direct access to the original sources of Shari?ah.

In spite of the command to fight, Allah exempts a group of people from Jihad so that they can continue religious education and benefit the rest of society and thus emphasizes the importance of having specialized scholars for this job who the common man can go to for knowledge.

009.122 ?And the believers should not all go out to fight. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they (who are left behind) may gain sound knowledge in religion, and that they may warn their folk when they return to them, so that they may beware.?

However, using scholars to understand the Quran does not absolve Muslims from understanding Islam by our own effort, but just as it is to our advantage if we draw on the knowledge and experience of a doctor in treating an illness. It is only to our benefit if we take advantage of religious scholars.

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And before thee also the messengers We sent were but men, to whom We granted inspiration if ye realize this not, ask of those who possess the Message.

This verse is referring to the People of the Book but it gives a principle of guidance that those people who are not experts in knowledge and sciences should ask the specialists in this field and act accordingly. It is imperative that we turn to Ahl ?uz Zir (people having knowledge of the message). Every unaware should refer to the aware. Quite common sense.