• Guardians or Vandals? Allama Dr. Shaykh Hami’s Centric Inquiry into the Rise of the Mullah Mafia and the Decline of Islamic Unity.


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Guardians or Vandals? Allama Dr. Shaykh Hami’s Centric Inquiry into the Rise of the Mullah Mafia and the Decline of Islamic Unity.

Guardians or Vandals? Allama Dr. Shaykh Hami’s Centric Inquiry into the Rise of the Mullah Mafia and the Decline of Islamic Unity.

Sheikh Sameer Manzoor:

Over the last decade, Allama Dr. Shaykh Hami has emerged as one of the most vocal and insightful critics of what he terms the “Mullah Mafia” a phenomenon in which certain religious preachers, across various sects and ideological backgrounds, misuse the pulpit and social media to spread division, hostility, and slander. Observing the spiritual, psychological, and intellectual landscape of the Muslim community, he notes that this group of self-appointed spokespersons has abandoned the prophetic ethic of mercy and humility. Instead, they have embraced a culture of sensationalism, confrontation, and religious theatrics that appeal to emotions rather than intellect. This shift, according to him, represents one of the most dangerous challenges to the unity of the Ummah in contemporary times. Central to his analysis is the Quranic injunction commanding unity: “Hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and do not be divided” (Quran 3:103). He argues that the behaviour of these individuals is not merely undesirable but a violation of a clear divine command. Their constant exchange of insults, accusations of disbelief, and derogatory language broadcasted daily across social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube channels, podcasts, and pulpits has created an environment in which division is celebrated rather than condemned. As Shaykh Hami often states, when the pulpit becomes a battlefield and the microphone becomes a sword, the hearts of the believers inevitably become wounded, confused, and spiritually destabilised. He frequently cites the prophetic warning recorded in Sunan Abu Dawud: “The thing I fear most for my Ummah is every hypocrite with a sharp tongue.” The relevance of this hadith in today’s digital age cannot be overstated. According to his interpretation, the Prophet ﷺ foresaw a time wherein eloquence would be divorced from sincerity and speech would become a tool of manipulation rather than guidance. These preachers, driven by online fame, personal ego, and sectarian pride, exhibit the very characteristics the Prophet ﷺ cautioned against sharp tongues, aggressive demeanour, and an alarming lack of spiritual responsibility. A critical observation made by him is that the Mullah Mafia is not confined to one sect, school of thought, or ideological group. Whether Sunni or Shia, Deobandi or Barelvi, Ahl-e-Hadith or Sufi-leaning no sect is immune, and no sect is collectively guilty. Rather than perpetuating the myth of sectarian superiority, Shaykh Hami emphasises that this crisis is a moral one, not a doctrinal one. He urges communities to recognise that the disease of arrogance, misquoting religious texts, and deliberately igniting sectarian tensions exists across the spectrum. Therefore, the responsibility for reform must also be shared by leaders and elders of all traditions.

He draws attention to the Quranic command: “And speak to people good words” (Quran 2:83), explaining that this verse forms the ethical foundation of Islamic communication. Despite this, modern preachers have normalised insults, sarcasm, abusive behaviour, and public shaming as though these were hallmarks of scholarly bravery. Shaykh Hami argues that the Quran’s call for dignified speech is unconditional it applies during disagreement, debate, correction, and even conflict. To abandon this command is to abandon prophetic character (akhlaq), which is supposed to be the distinguishing feature of every scholar. Within his broader critique, he frequently references Imam al-Ghazali’s “Ihya Ulum al-Din,” particularly the sections where the Imam warns against scholars who crave attention and applause more than divine pleasure. He argues that many members of the Mullah Mafia reflect exactly what Imam al-Ghazali warned: an outward display of religiosity masking an inward hunger for fame. These individuals do not study to spread knowledge; they study to win arguments. They do not speak to heal hearts; they speak to gather followers. Such a condition, according to him, represents the spiritual collapse of religious leadership. Furthermore, he highlights the hadith from Tirmidhi: “A believer is not one who curses, taunts, or uses foul language.” This prophetic principle stands as a direct condemnation of the style of communication adopted by these preachers. Yet, despite the clarity of this hadith, the tone and content of online debates between such individuals are filled with mockery, humiliation, and verbal aggression all delivered in the name of “defending Islam.” This misuse of religion, in his eyes, not only damages interpersonal relations but also undermines the credibility of genuine scholarship.

He often compares their behaviour to a slowly spreading fire that initially appears harmless but eventually consumes entire fields of spiritual harmony. This fire of division, ignited by sensational speeches and reactionary videos, infiltrates homes, masjids, and community centres. Families begin to argue about scholars they have never met. Youths start judging each other based on sectarian labels rather than moral character. According to Shaykh Hami, such social fragmentation is one of the most dangerous consequences of unchecked rhetorical aggression. Drawing upon the legacy of classical jurists, he notes that Imam Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik, Imam Shafii, and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal all of whom disagreed on thousands of jurisprudential issues never allowed their disagreements to evolve into personal attacks. Their debates were marked by dignity, mutual respect, and intellectual humility. He argues that if the great imams of the past, whose stature none of these modern preachers can claim to match, maintained such exemplary conduct, then today’s preachers have no excuse for their vulgar displays of arrogance. Among the Quranic verses often referenced by Shaykh Hami is the admonition from Surah Luqman: “Indeed, the worst of voices is the voice of the donkey.” (Quran 31:19). Interpreting this in the context of modern discourse, he explains that this verse symbolically condemns loud, harsh, and meaningless speech. The constant shouting matches broadcast online by certain preachers, he says, epitomise this very characteristic noise without wisdom, volume without values, and argument without adab.

Shaykh Hami acknowledges that Islam not only allows disagreement but encourages sincere scholarly discourse. The well-known maxim, “Difference of opinion in my Ummah is a mercy,” though criticised for its chain, reflects the attitude of early Muslims. However, he stresses that disagreement becomes destructive when it turns into personal attacks and sectarian declarations. The Mullah Mafia, he argues, has turned ikhtilaf (difference of opinion) into enmity, rivalry, and verbal warfare an outcome entirely opposed to the spirit of Islam. One of the strongest appeals made by him is directed toward the grand muftis, senior scholars, and established religious authorities of every sect. He insists that it is their moral obligation to regulate, discipline, and correct the preachers associated with their institutions or ideological groups. Silence, he warns, amounts to passive approval. If respected authorities do not intervene, the chaos will only deepen, and the authority of authentic scholarship will be eroded by the loudest and most aggressive voices. He also emphasises the psychological toll that this atmosphere of conflict imposes upon ordinary Muslims. Exposure to constant hostility between religious figures leads to spiritual fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and religious disillusionment. Many young people, especially those new to religious practice, turn away from religion altogether, concluding that Islam encourages division rather than unity. For him, this tragic consequence represents one of the greatest failures of modern religious leadership.

Reflecting on Qur’an 17:36 “Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge” Shaykh Hami warns Muslims against blindly following preachers whose credentials, training, and moral character are questionable. He argues that genuine scholarship must be evaluated through lineage of knowledge (sanad), depth of understanding, humility, and spiritual refinement not through YouTube subscribers and Facebook followers or provocative rhetoric. Blind following of aggressive figures, he notes, leads to intellectual stagnation and emotional manipulation. In diagnosing the root cause of this crisis, he asserts that modern religious education lacks tazkiyah (spiritual purification). Classical scholars spent decades cultivating sincerity, self-discipline, and humility before being allowed to speak publicly. Today, individuals gain a platform overnight, often before acquiring the manners, ethics, or spiritual maturity necessary for guiding a community. The absence of tazkiyah, in his view, is the foundational cause of arrogance, hostility, and reckless speech. He frequently invokes the Quranic principle revealed to the Prophet ﷺ: “Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you.” (Quran 3:159). If harshness could drive people away even from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Shaykh Hami argues, then the harshness displayed by modern preachers who lack even a fraction of the Prophet’s character becomes exponentially more destructive. Harsh speech repels hearts, breaks communities, and weakens faith. Shaykh Hami strongly advocates for direct community engagement in confronting this issue. He encourages ordinary Muslims to ask moral questions of preachers who engage in abusive behaviour: “Who allowed you to declare another Muslim a kafir?” or “Where is the prophetic character in your speech?” This approach, he says, is essential for fostering social accountability. If communities stop tolerating aggressive rhetoric, the influence of the Mullah Mafia will naturally begin to fade.

He further reminds Muslims that religious leadership is a sacred amanah (trust). The Quran warns, “Do not betray your trusts knowingly.” (Quran 8:27). When preachers utilise their platforms to sow division rather than unity, they betray this amanah. They betray not only their audience but also the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, who commanded compassion, wisdom, and humility in religious discourse. Shaykh Hami notes that the betrayal of religious trust is one of the gravest moral failures in Islam. Despite his severe critique, he does not promote the silencing of all religious voices. Instead, he calls for the reformation of preaching standards. He suggests implementing training programmes in ethics, respectful communication, spiritual refinement, and conflict resolution. Such training, he believes, will restore dignity to Islamic scholarship and ensure that religious leaders become torch-bearers of unity rather than triggers of conflict. In conclusion, the acumen of Allama Dr. Shaykh Hami presents this crisis not merely as a religious dispute but as a threat to the spiritual cohesion of the entire Muslim Ummah. He calls upon Muslims to rise above historical grievances, avoid weaponising minor differences, and rebuild the bonds of unity, compassion, and mutual respect. The future of Islamic harmony, he insists, depends on uprooting the toxic culture cultivated by the Mullah Mafia and reviving the prophetic model of humility, gentleness, and intellectual integrity. Only then will the Ummah return to the path of divine unity that Allah has commanded and the Prophet ﷺ has exemplified.

Research Scholar (Karwani Islami International)

Sheikh Sameer Manzoor

sheikhsameermanzoor@gmail.com