All the Muslims should bear the responsibility of Islam. There are no clergymen in Islam and the State should prohibit any sign of their presence among the Muslims.

Although Mujtahids are scholars, however not every scholar is necessarily a Mujtahid since a scholar could either be a Mujtahid or a Muqallid (imitator). If the Muslim were to take the Shari’ah rule in order to act upon, then, it requires some consideration: if he took the rule from a Mujtahid, he in this case would be emulating the Mujtahid. If he took it from a non-Mujtahid, he would be learning that rule from the person he had taken it from, and he would not be emulating him. However, if the Muslim was to take the rule in order to learn it, he would be learning the rule irrespective of whether he took it from a Mujtahid or a non Mujtahid. Therefore, these scholars - whether Mujtahids or otherwise - are not clergymen since none of them has any right to legitimise or prohibit anything and they are just like any other Muslim regarding every single Shari’ah rule. None of them should distinguish himself from the rest of the Muslims in anything with regards to the Shari’ah rules regardless of how high his rank is in terms of knowledge, Ijtihad and respect. Hence, what is Haram for others does not become allowed for the scholar and nor does the Wajib upon others become Mandub (recommended) for him. He is rather like any other individual Muslim. Therefore, the idea of clergymen held by Christians has no existence in Islam. The concept of clergymen is specific to Christians because a clergyman does legitimise and prohibit rules to them. Thus, attributing such a term to the Muslim scholar might give the impression of attributing the Christian concept to the Muslim scholars despite the fact that Muslim scholars do not allow and nor do they prohibit anything. Therefore, it is not fitting to attribute the term of clergyman to a Muslim scholar.

There are explicit narrations prohibiting the emulation of Christians and Jews. Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

. لَتَتَّبِعُنَّ سَنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَ بْلِكُمْ شِبْ رًا بِشِبْرٍ وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ ، حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلُوا فِي « » جُحْرِ ضَبٍّ لاَتَّ بَ عْتُمُوهُمْ، قُ لْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، آلْيَ هُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى؟ قَالَ: فَمَنْ .

“You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also. We said: Allah's Messenger, do you mean Jews and Christians (by your words)" those before you"? He said: Who else (than those two religious groups)?” (Agreed upon with the words from Muslim) This narration has been said within the context of prohibition. Hence, the emulation of the Jews and the Christians is - as it stands - prohibited, let alone if this emulation were to lead to the generating of a Kufr concept among the Muslims. Considering the Muslim scholar as a clergyman is an emulation of the Christians who regard their scholars as clergymen and it also transfers the Christian concept of clergyman to the Muslim scholar; therefore, it is strictly prohibited in terms of emulation and it is classified as even more strictly prohibited in terms of introducing the concept. Therefore, it would be wrong to refer to the Muslim scholar as a clergyman and it is forbidden for the scholars to consider themselves as clergymen according to the Christians’ concept of clergyman. If someone was found claiming this according to the understanding mentioned, he will be prohibited and punished since he will have committed a prohibited act. In addition, the Prophet (pbuh) did not differentiate from the companions in terms of a specific dress or appearance. Al-Bukhari reported in his Sahih from Anas Bin Malik who said: فِي الْمَسْجِدِ، دَخَلَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى جَمَلٍ بَ يْ نَمَا نَحْنُ جُلُوسٌ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ « مُتَّكِئٌ بَ يْنَ فَأَنَاخَهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ ثُمَّ عَقَلَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ: أَيُّكُمْ مُحَمَّدٌ ؟ - وَالنَّبِيُّ ظَهْرَانَ يْهِمْ - فَ قُلْنَا: هَذَا الرَّجُلُ الأَب يَضُ الْمُتَّكِئُ. فَ قَالَ لَهُ الرَّجُلُ: يَا ابْنَ عَبْدِ الْمُطَّلِبِ، »... قَدْ أَجَبْ تُكَ فَ قَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ .

“A man entered the mosque on camel and made it kneel down, and then tied his leg with rope. He then asked: Who among you is Muhammad? The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was sitting leaning upon something among them. We said to him: This white (man) who is leaning. The man said: O son of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib. The Prophet (pbuh) said; I already responded to you.” For these reasons, this Article has been drafted.