What are Sirhindi’s views regarding the guardians of the sharia, the ulama ?

The classification of the ulama, offered by Sirhindi faithfully reflects his views of the sharia as described above. The form of the shariah, which according to Sirhindi is contained in the unequivocal verses of the Quran (muhkamat), is the domain of the superficial ulama (ulama-i zawahir). They are captivated by the form, deny the existence of any essence in it, and are guided solely by books on fiqh, such as the Hidayah (of al-Marghinani and Bazdawi). The essence of the sharia , on the other hand, is dealt with by the profound ulama (ulama-i rasikhan). It is found in the ambiguous verses of the Quran (mutashabihat), which are the kernel and heart of the Book. The unequivocal verses, though called ummahat-i kitab, are nothing but a means t o reach the substance (nataij) contained in the ambiguous ones. The profound ulama understand the dual nature of the shariah, insist on attaining both its form and essence, but concede that the form is sufficient for the person to be a Muslim…

We may say in conclusion, that in his discussion of the Shariah, Sirhindi clearly values its inner, ‘essential’ aspects above it outward and formal ones. This preference results in his according the highest status to the ambiguous verses of the Quran in which the essence is thought to be contained. Sirhindi maintains this view despite the fact, according to the Quran itself, only ‘those in whose hearts there is a deviation follow the ambiguous [verses] desiring dissension [Surah 3:7]. At the same time he maintains that the outward form of the shariah cannot be dispensed with, since the form can never be separated from the essence, and no one can reach the essence while disregarding the form. The concept of shariah is thus fully incorporated into the Sufi world-view. The characteristic Sufi dichotomy of form and essence is thoroughly applied to it. Those who compliance with the shariah is merely formal are rather condescendingly accepted into the Muslim community; their inferiority to those who reach the essence is, however, made abundantly clear.
ref: Friedmann (2000). Sheykh Ahmad Sirhindi, An Outline of His Thought and a Study of His Image in the Eyes of Posterity. pub: Oxford University Press (India)

Imam Rabbani (ks) work, where he distinguishes and emphasizes the distinction between the ulama rasikhin and ulama zahir:

Istidlal means to infer the existence of the doer of the work by seeing the work, that is, to know the existence of the Creator by seeing creatures. The ‘ulama-i rasikhin and the ‘ulama-i zahir always perform istidlal and say that creatures have been communicating [the existence of] the Creator. Those savants who, as stated in a hadith, are prophets’ inheritors are called ‘ulama-i rasikhin. Not all the Islamic scholars are so. Those savants who are not rasikh understand the existence of the Creator by knowing the existence of creatures. They say that the existence of the work communicates existence of the doer. Thus, they believe in the existence of the doer. But the ‘ulama’-i rasikhin have passed beyond all the high grades of Wilayat, that is, of being Awliya, and have reached the grade of da’wat (call, invitation), which is peculiar to prophets. After the happening of tajallis and mushahadas in them, they, too, deduce the doer from the work. And through this way they believe the real doer, that is, have iman in the existence of Allahu ta’ala. After reaching the end, they realize that everything which they have found out through mushahada and tajalli is not the real being but one of the shades of the appearances of the real being. “It cannot be believed as the real being. One cannot have iman in the real being without istidlal,” they say. By doing istidlal, they go on searching for the real being without the shades coming between. Because they love the real being only and because they will sacrifice everything else for the real being, they attain to the real being through such istidlal. As it is stated in the hadith, “A person will be together with whom he loves,” they attain to the real being, who actually exists beyond the tajallis and zuhurs, which are mixed with shades. Being pulled with the rope of love, these great people reach the true origin in person while the savants of zahir reach there in knowledge only.

-THIRD VOLUME, 50th LETTER

What the savants obtain of the din and their following Rasulullah is first their correcting their belief. Next comes their learning the teachings of the Shariat and practicing what they have learned. And what the men of tasawwuf obtain is hals, wajds, pieces of the knowledge of tasawwuf and marifats, together with those that are attained by the savants. And as for what the ‘Ulama-i rasikhin obtain of the din who have been blessed with the glad tidings that they are prophets’ inheritors, along with the fact that they have been blessed with the lot of obtaining all of what the savants of the din and the men of tasawwuf have obtained, they have been blessed with many a piece of secret and subtle knowledge. These pieces of secret and subtle knowledge are indicated by the concealed and covered ayats in the Qur’an, which are called mutashabihat. They have been explained by means of tawil. It is these superiors with rasikh (perfect) knowledge who adapt themselves to Rasulullah fully. These only are the inheritors of Rasulullah. Since they adapt themselves to Rasulullah precisely, and being prophets’ inheritors, they get a share from the blessings bestowed upon prophets. They, too, are made to hear secret knowledge peculiar to those great people. They, therefore, have been honored with the glad tidings: “The savants of my Ummat are like the Prophets of the sons of Israil.”
-SECOND VOLUME, 13th LETTER