One of the main reasons why it has been so difficult to corrupt the religion of Islam is that there is basically no other authority of the religion except God. While in many organized systems legitimacy of authority and power is fundamentally based on popularity (for example in the case of democracy), Legitimacy of power in the religion of God is based on the ability to implement divine principles. Indeed one cannot exercise any power without being popular but popularity without obedience of the divine law and the teachings of the prophet is not valid in religion. Wordily authority does not take into consideration ethical values and principles. Even though most of our leaders in this world are trained in systems that claim to put forward ethical values, in the practice of their authority, corruption and selfish interests among other hindrances, can have a great influence on the way they exercise their authority. The number of followers you can have on social media for example does not depend on how helpful or useful you are really but on some other factors that have nothing to do with ethics. Unlike worldly authority and power, it is not recommended to strive for divine authority as it is a result of a mission in the service of the just cause for mankind. For instance Islamic authority is derived from the capacity of conveying the message of divine Religion and its legitimacy is determined somehow by the size of the audience, but not necessarily. So who really represent the authority of divine religion on earth? Is there such a thing as an Islamic pope?
The largest representative group of Muslims on earth is the Sunni Islamic sect which was created after the conflicts upon the succession of the prophet. The other largest group of Muslims, the shia, also base their fundamental teachings of the Quran. Unlike Christianity and some other religions, there is no formal priesthood or clergy in Islam. A cleric in Islam can be just anyone who convey the message of Islam accordingly. There are scholars among imams and preachers who represent the Islamic elite. Nobody serves as intermediary between mankind and God. And this is the main reason why the religion is protected from manipulation of the authority. Islamic leaders serve only as teachers or community guides, providing rules to the Muslims and pious in every religious matter. Prophets were sent by God with divine legitimacy but not all of them could become leaders in exercising popular leadership. Some of the messengers of God were rejected by their own people. Yussuf, Daud, Suleiman and Muhammad(pbup) are known to have exercised leadership on Muslims but among the prophets, many could never gain any popularity and authority and remained mere warners. This is the same with the Muslim clerics as the authority of the clerics is not based on their religious positions or credentials but rather on their performance as advisers. Indeed many scholars have fought to guard and protect the religion from falsehood and corruption but the religion is based on the revelations in the Quran and on the Sunna as well as the Sierra(Biography) of the prophet. God himself says in the Quran that he has protected the the religion. God says in the Quran “ We have sent down the Qu’ran ourselves and we ourselves will guard it (15:9).
A believer should strive to gain faith and knowledge with the guidance of God. God should be his helper and Patron because God suffices as helper. Unlike worldly systems were people struggle and fight for power and are ready to do a lot for it, Islam does not recommend anyone to strive for leadership but urges any group of people to have a leader as a matter of fact. The prophet is known to have said that when a group of a least 3 Muslims are on a journey they must appoint a leader. But power differentiation should be exercise in such a way that it does not lead to injustice. Since power can be abused, it is clear that the Islamic conception of power is fundamentally to implement the laws of God. So whoever among the people is better versed in the word of God and and has the best character according to it should be the leader of the group.
There are a lot of ancient wisdom and sacred texts of various folk but there is no claim of divine authority in them as in the glorious Quran. There are grand muftis and sheikhs who act as religious authorities throughout the world but there is no such thing as the pope of Christians who will represent the highest Islamic authority on earth. They have been attempts to organized representatives of moderate Muslims in the fight against extremism but these are not acknowledged by various pious Muslims across the globe.
Islam was based on pure monotheism and even the prophet (pbuh) placed the authority of God before his own authority. Even though the messenger of Allah owns a right more than one’s own self , property of family, he is not to be worship or taken as partner with God. Thus , the prophet, (pbuh), warned Muslims never imitate the Christians who venerated Jesus, (pbuh), attributing to him divine qualities that befit only God. The Prophet said, “Do not venerate me as the Christians venerated Jesus, son of Mary; I am only a servant of Allah and His messenger.” Some scholars are and Islamic religious leaders are known but many are not. There are many saints and well-versed scholars who are unknown to the public. They give up the world and expect bounties of the hereafter instead.
Some Quran reciters and scholars are very famous but do not necessarily serve as leaders of the religion. Instead they are appreciated by their audience but will remain humble . For a believer God suffices as the guide and Guardian . A believer therefore must rely on the glorious Quran and the Sunna instead of relying to certain form s of worship that are attributed to saints unless he is aware of the proves of the lawfulness of the method from the Quran and the Sunna. Remember as a conclusion, the hadith of the 3 first men to enter Hell fire, one of them will be a man who was well-versed in knowledge and has taught it and was a fluent reciter the Quran.
He will be brought before God who will inform his first about his favors and he will recognize them.. Then God w will say:
– And what did you do about them? He will say:
– I studied religious knowledge and I taught it and I recited the Quran for Your sake.
God will say: You have lied
– you did but study religious knowledge that it might be said of you: He is learned. And you recited the Quran that it might be said of you: He is a reciter. And so it was said. Then he will be ordered to be dragged along on his face until he is cast into Hell-fire.
