Ulama

Ulema ( Arabic علماء , ‘Ulamā’ , singular: عالِم , ‘Ālim , "scholar") refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies . They are best known as the arbiters of shari‘a law. While the ulema are well versed in legal jurisprudence being Islamic lawyers, some of them also go on to specialize in other fields, such as philosophy , dialectical theology or Quranic hermeneutics or explanation. The fields studied, and the importance given them, will vary from tradition to tradition, or even from seminary to seminary. In a broader sense, the term ulema is used to describe the body of Muslim clergy who have completed several years of training and study of Islamic sciences, such as a mufti , qadi , faqih , or muhaddith . Some Muslims include under this term the village mullahs , imams , and maulvis —who have attained only the lowest rungs on the ladder of Islamic scholarship; other Muslims would say that clerics must meet higher standards to be considered ulema.

Ulama ( / ˈ uː l ə ˌ m ɑː / ; ʿUlamāʾ , singular عالِم ʿĀlim , "scholar"), also spelled ulema , alimah (female) and "uluma", in contemporary usage by Muslims refers to the religious elite of scholars at the top of the sectarian hierarchy. They mainly specialize in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) and are considered the arbiters of sharia law by mainstream sects; nevertheless, their authority is not universally accepted . Islamic jurisprudence in the contemporary world is mainly composed of: Hadith : reports of statements or actions of Muhammad and Tafseer : explanation and interpretations of the Qur'an . Some Muslims use the term ulama to describe only the body of Muslim scholars who have completed several years of training and study of Islamic disciplines, such as a mufti , allamah qadi , faqih , or muhaddith . Under this definition, ulama are Islamic scholars trained in the whole body of Islamic law. However, other Muslims also include clerics in this category, who may be village mullahs and imams who have attained only the lowest rungs on the ladder of Islamic scholarship. JSTOR 4282856 . it is hard to exaggerate the importance of its [Pakistan's] current drift toward's Maududi's version of Islam

Muslim legal scholars For other uses, see Ulama (disambiguation) . Scholars at an Abbasid library. Illustration by Yahyá al-Wasiti , Baghdad , 1237 In Islam , the ulama ( / ˈ uː l ə ˌ m ɑː / ; ʿUlamāʾ , singular عالِم ʿĀlim , "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ulema ; feminine: alimah [singular] and uluma [plural]) are the guardians, transmitters and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam, including Islamic doctrine and law. By longstanding tradition, ulama are educated in religious institutions ( madrasas ) . The Quran and sunnah (authentic hadith ) are the scriptural sources of traditional Islamic law . The ulama (literally, the learned ones) Cl. In: Encyclopaedia of Islam (2 ed.). The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change .

Muslim legal scholars For other uses, see Ulama (disambiguation) . Scholars at an Abbasid library. Illustration by Yahyá al-Wasiti , Baghdad , 1237. In Islam , the ulama ( / ˈ uː l ə ˌ m ɑː / ; ; singular ) also spelled ulema (feminine singular alimah ; plural aalimath ) are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam, including Islamic doctrine and law. By longstanding tradition, ulama are educated in religious institutions ( madrasas ) . The Quran and sunnah (authentic hadith ) are the scriptural sources of traditional Islamic law . The ulama (literally, the learned ones) Cl. In: Encyclopaedia of Islam (2 ed.). The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change .

Muslim legal scholars For other uses, see Ulama (disambiguation) . Scholars at an Abbasid library. Illustration by Yahyá al-Wasiti , Baghdad , 1237. In Islam , the ulama ( US : / ˈ uː l ə m ɑː / OO -lə-mah ; also spelled ulema ; Arabic : علماء , romanized : ʿulamāʾ , lit. ' the learned ones ' ; singular عالم , ʿālim ; feminine singular عالمة , ʿālimah , plural عالمات , ʿālimāt ) are scholars of Islamic doctrine and law. They are considered the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious knowledge in Islam. "Ulama" may refer broadly to the educated class of such religious scholars, including theologians , canon lawyers ( muftis ), judges ( qadis ), professors, and high state religious officials. Alternatively, "ulama" may refer specifically to those holding governmental positions in an Islamic state . By longstanding tradition, ulama are educated in religious institutions ( madrasas ). The Quran and sunnah (authentic hadith ) are the scriptural sources of traditional Islamic law . The ulama (literally, the learned ones); Cl. Encyclopaedia of Islam (2 ed.). The Ulama in Contemporary Islam: Custodians of Change .