Bro, by connected I do not mean living their own life in todays world. What i mean is what solutions are they producing for todays muslims that are not already there. Our scholars are mostly still busy resolving interfeuds between different sects of muslims, different fatwas on the same subject, they still cannot even agree on moonsighting, 8 rakah or 20 rakah for tarawih, other such issues. The only issues that dominate religious circles are ones about differences of opinion in interpretation of our scriptural resources. After 14 centuries the contradictions amongst our scholars have not converged but only divulged even more thus creating more disparity amongst muslims in the world. The further back we go in history we will find more and more convergence on issues until we arrive at the source of our knowledge i.e. Quran and Hadith. The rest is the everchanging world of fiqh.
I do not support being submissive either, but rather understanding the needs to todays society. To me it is quite simple, Quranic guidance is for all time. If that is to be the case, then there should be nothing in todays society that could not be corrected through Quranic guidance and proper understanding of hadith. Tradiotionalist scholars view the world as if the problems of the past still exist as they were before. Not the case anymore, the problems are new or they have evolved into something different.
Here is how I see it, we have all the principled guidance in the Quran and hadith we will need throughout our life and for future generations. I emphasize guidance. Our duty is to preserve the correct aqidah and Islamic practice and figure out our own solutions in every age and time rather than keep recycling solutions of the past as is the view of traditionalist scholars.
I cannot understand the reason for this much of the post with what I said. I understand you are saying Old is Gold but that is not what I am discussing.
Crescent bro