The corruption and deviation of the religious leaders from the true path of Islam

Some verses from the Qur'an that are against religious leaders are:

Surah 9:34 

یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوۤا۟ إِنَّ كَثِیرࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡأَحۡبَارِ وَٱلرُّهۡبَانِ لَیَأۡكُلُونَ أَمۡوَ ٰ⁠لَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلۡبَـٰطِلِ وَیَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَٱلَّذِینَ یَكۡنِزُونَ ٱلذَّهَبَ وَٱلۡفِضَّةَ وَلَا یُنفِقُونَهَا فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ فَبَشِّرۡهُم بِعَذَابٍ أَلِیمࣲ

O People who Believe! Indeed many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks unjustly devour people's wealth and prevent from Allah’s way; and those who hoard up gold and silver and do not spend it in Allah’s way – so them give the glad tidings of a painful punishment.

  This verse is a warning to the Jewish and Christian religious leaders who exploit their followers and misguide them from the true path of God. They also agree that this verse is a condemnation of those who hoard wealth and do not spend it in God’s cause, whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims. This is a declaration of war by Islam against all such religious leaders who have betrayed their trust and have become a tool in the hands of those who fight against God and His Messenger.

Surah 2:79: 

فَوَیۡلࣱ لِّلَّذِینَ یَكۡتُبُونَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِأَیۡدِیهِمۡ ثُمَّ یَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنۡ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِیَشۡتَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنࣰا قَلِیلࣰاۖ فَوَیۡلࣱ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتۡ أَیۡدِیهِمۡ وَوَیۡلࣱ لَّهُم مِّمَّا یَكۡسِبُونَ

Therefore woe is to those who write the Book with their hands; and they then claim, “This is from Allah” in order to gain an abject (worldly) price for it; therefore woe to them for what their hands have written, and woe to them for what they earn with it.

 This verse is a severe rebuke to the Jews who tampered with their scriptures and attributed their own fabrications to God. They also agree that this verse exposes the hypocrisy and dishonesty of these Jews who sold their religion for worldly gains. This is a warning to every community that receives a scripture from God, and a reminder that they should not take their responsibility lightly or play games with their Lord’s words.

Surah 5:44: 

إِنَّاۤ أَنزَلۡنَا ٱلتَّوۡرَىٰةَ فِیهَا هُدࣰى وَنُورࣱۚ یَحۡكُمُ بِهَا ٱلنَّبِیُّونَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَسۡلَمُوا۟ لِلَّذِینَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلرَّبَّـٰنِیُّونَ وَٱلۡأَحۡبَارُ بِمَا ٱسۡتُحۡفِظُوا۟ مِن كِتَـٰبِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَانُوا۟ عَلَیۡهِ شُهَدَاۤءَۚ فَلَا تَخۡشَوُا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ وَٱخۡشَوۡنِ وَلَا تَشۡتَرُوا۟ بِـَٔایَـٰتِی ثَمَنࣰا قَلِیلࣰاۚ وَمَن لَّمۡ یَحۡكُم بِمَاۤ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡكَـٰفِرُونَ

Undoubtedly We sent down the Taurat, in which is guidance and light; the Jews were commanded according to it by Our obedient Prophets, and the rabbis and the religious jurists for they were commanded to protect Allah’s Book, and were witnesses to it; so do not fear men, and fear Me, and do not exchange My verses for an abject price; and whoever does not judge according to what is sent down by Allah – it is they who are disbelievers.

These are just a few examples of the many verses that criticize religious leaders who misuse their authority and knowledge in Islam.