BENEFIT 104: Speakers/influencers are NOT Scholars

Shaykh Salih al Fawzaan Hafidhahullah said: The presence of intellectuals and passionate speakers are not a substitute for the scholars in the Ummah. Such people are only well-read individuals; they are not scholars with understanding. Therefore, applying the term "scholars" to them is applying a term in other than its proper place. Consideration is given to the facts and not to ascriptions. So many times you will find people that have good speech and incite the masses, yet they do not possess (true) understanding (of the Religion). The thing that exposes these people is when an incident occurs due to which the people need to know the religious ruling for that matter, since (at this time) the speakers and zealots reveal the limitations of their understanding. It is at this point that the role of the scholars comes in. So let us take note of this and give our scholars their rights, acknowledge their status and virtue, and give everyone of them the position they deserve. [Wujoob at-Tathabbut fil-Akhbaar wa Ihtiraam-il-'Ulamaa: pg. 50]