Ulama are the inheritors of Prophetic knowledge and therefore bear a special responsibility toward society. They are the guardians of religion and moral values. Their core responsibility is not merely to deliver sermons, but to guide society, challenge moral corruption, and resist structures of falsehood and injustice. They are the custodians of divine law and should embody the egalitarian and ethical teachings of Islam. In this sense, they are not merely preachers but agents of tajdeed (reform). Common Muslims see them as hallmarks of piety and truth. In Muslim historiography Ulama stood as the embodiment of justice, compassion and connection between the common man and Prophetic legacy.

However, many Ulama today have become excessively associated with the rich and influential while remaining distant from the struggles of the poor and ordinary people. Some appear reluctant to attend to those who have little to offer in terms of wealth, status, or worldly influence. On the one hand, they deliver sermons emphasizing simplicity and austerity in nikah; on the other, they readily attend lavish and extravagant weddings of the wealthy and privileged. Such contradictions inevitably raise serious questions about their moral authority and credibility as representatives of Prophetic values.
Our great Ulama, such as Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi, Maulana Mahmud Hasan, and Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, lived lives marked by remarkable simplicity, sacrifice, and steadfastness. They did not compromise their principles for proximity to wealth and power, nor did they neglect the poor and marginalized. Their moral authority stemmed not from their closeness to the rich and powerful, but from their service to the community, personal integrity, and unwavering commitment to truth. Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi wrote a five volume work ‘Tarikh Dawat wa Azimat’ on the role and service of great Ulama to the community. He argues that truth and moral principles were the cornerstone of their faith, and that they never compromised them.
Engagement with the wealthy is not, in itself, problematic. Indeed, the Ulama should engage with every section of society. The problem arises when such engagement becomes excessive attachment and compromises their independence, moral authority, or concern for the marginalized. When religious leadership becomes too closely identified with wealth and privilege, its credibility as an agent of religious and social reform is inevitably weakened. And if the Ulama were to lose their credibility, it could lead to Fitnah/ religious anarchy and also cause people to develop an aversion to religion and morality.
The Prophetic model calls upon the Ulama to stand with all sections of society, especially the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable. As representatives of Islamic values and Prophetic ethics, they must engage with everyone without discrimination. Their presence should be felt not only in the mansions of the affluent/powerful but also in the homes of the poor and underprivileged.
The true measure of an 'alim is therefore not the company he keeps, the status of those who invite him, or the access he enjoys to circles of power/bourgeoisie. It is the integrity with which he speaks truth, the simplicity and piety with which he lives, and the compassion with which he serves those who have little wealth/power or privilege.

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