Islamic religious scholars; pressed for a more conservative and restrictive theology; opposed to non-Islamic thinking

• A. Ulama
• B. Sufis
• C. Mamluks
• D. Arabic numerals

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is recognizing the group of educated religious authorities who interpret and preserve Islamic law and creed. The Ulama are the scholars who study the Qur’an, Hadith, and legal traditions to issue rulings and shape doctrine, often upholding a traditional, conservative approach to theology and practice. They act as guardians of orthodoxy, emphasizing adherence to established norms and resisting what they see as non-Islamic influences or speculative innovations in belief and law. That role—maintaining strict religious norms and policing non-Islamic ideas—fits the description well.

Sufis, by contrast, are focused on mystical, personal spirituality and inner experience, which can involve different approaches to doctrine and practice. Mamluks were a military-political ruling class in medieval Islam, not primarily religious scholars. Arabic numerals refer to a number system, not a group of theologians. So the term that best captures a body pressed for a conservative theology and opposed to non-Islamic thinking is the Ulama.