    ulama ( , singular  , "scholar"), also spelled ulema and "uluma", refers to the educated class of muslim legal scholars who are polymaths engaged in several fields of islamic studies. they are well versed in fiqh (jurisprudence) and are considered the arbiters of sharia law, being islamic lawyers and are considered the foundation of the law. a female islamic scholar is known as an alimah. islamic jurisprudence includes: * 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, qadi, faqih, or muhaddith. for them, the status of ulama requires higher standards. 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. ==teaching==  ulama learn at islamic religious schools, madrasahs, where they also teach students about islam and other areas of study. (it is believed in islam that every muslim must acquire a well-rounded education in order to understand godâs religion in its entirety.) by the end of their education, they acquire an ijazah, an academic degree in islamic law and jurisprudence, a practice that dates back to the first several centuries of islam. ulama also hold seminars where they give lectures and speeches about the area of islam in which they specialize. ==judicature== in certain muslim countries, like saudi arabia and united arab emirates, where there are sharia courts, islamic clergy become judges. therefore, one of the jobs of ulama is the interpretation and maintenance of islamic law in such countries. ==advisory== in some countries like saudi arabia, islamic clergy fulfill the role of a counsel for the king. there are also jobs for them in various governmental institutions. ==preaching== there are various jobs available for the islamic clergy at mosques. these include: leading public prayers, preaching, and delivering sermons, especially at friday prayers and some have made missionary activities a lifelong activity. ==ummah== the ulama in most nations consider themselves to represent the ijma "consensus" of the ummah "community of muslims" (or 
Arabic_words_and_phrases_in_Sharia Islamic_legal_occupations Muslim_theologians Religious_leadership_roles