People would have been lost if it were not for the scholars to correct them:

بـسـم الله والحـمـد لله والـصلاة والـسـلام عــلى رسـول الله، وبـعـد

Al-Hasan al-Basree رحمه الله said:

“If it were not for the scholars, the people would have behaved like cattle.”

[al-Tabsirah of Ibn al-Jawzee (2/193)]