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Ayatollah
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Ayatollah

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Also known as Ayatullah, ʾĀyat-u Allāh

Ayatollah is a title for high-ranking Twelver Shia clergy. It came into widespread usage in the 20th century. Those who hold this title must be men and specialists in Islamic sciences such as jurisprudence (fiqh) and principles (usul), often teaching in seminaries. The next lower rank among these clergy is Hojjatoleslam.

AI overview

An Ayatollah is a high-ranking title for male clergy in Twelver Shia Islam who are experts in Islamic law and theology, typically teaching in seminaries. The title became widely used in the 20th century and represents one of the most senior positions in the Shia religious hierarchy, with only a few ranks above it.

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Wikidata facts

Named after
Allah
Religion
Shia Islam
Image
Grand Ayatollahs 03.jpg
Show 4 more facts
topic's main category
Category:Ayatollahs
native label
آیت‌الله
Commons category
Ayatollahs
maintained by WikiProject
WikiProject Iran
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Encyclopedic overview

15 sections
Contents
  • Etymology
  • Qualifications
  • Devaluation trend
  • Political connotations
  • Usage
  • Origins, early 20th century
  • Stages of contemporary titles for Shia clerics in Iran
  • Grand Ayatollah
  • Use of the term as a pejorative
  • See also
  • Notes
  • References
  • Citations
  • General and cited sources
  • External links

Ayatollah is a title for high-ranking Twelver Shia clergy. It came into widespread usage in the 20th century. Those who hold this title must be men and specialists in Islamic sciences such as jurisprudence (fiqh) and principles (usul), often teaching in seminaries. The next lower rank among these clergy is Hojjatoleslam.

Originally used as a title bestowed by popular/clerical acclaim for a small number of the most distinguished ''marja' at-taqlid mujtahid'', it suffered from "inflation" following the 1979 Iranian Revolution when it came to be used for "any established mujtahid". By 2015, it was further expanded to include any student who had passed their Mujtahid final exam, leading to "thousands" of Ayatollahs.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Ayatollah” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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