Million dollar question is .. how do you know who is a Pious Alim? In this age of self claimed Alims who are getting face time by using tv and youtube to increase their circle of inflence, it is getting harder and harder for general public to seprate an alim from a so-called-alim
I dont want to take names or disrepsect anyone but even in this forum, people often mention TV_Alims and quote them to back up their arguement. What gives man. Those people do not dress like Ulema (half of them are in suit and tie), they dont look like Ulema (hardly any beard), have no degrees from any Islamic institutions (a degree in Islamic history from Cambridge does not make you an alim people) but they confuse the heck out of people by claiming themselves to be Alim-e-deen.
You’re right, a degree in Islamic History alone don’t make you a scholar, you must study with the scholars in a traditional mannerand have ijaza from them.