TaqlidTaqlid (Arabic: تقليد, romanized: Taqlīd) is a term used in Islamic jurisprudence to denote the conformity of one person to the teaching of another. As such, the person who performs taqlid is termed muqallid. The definite meaning of the term varies depending on context and age. Classical usage of the term differs between Sunni Islam and Shia Islam.
Risalah (fiqh)Risalah (Arabic: رسالـة) is the Arabic word for treatise. Among the Shia the term is short for a risalah-yi'amaliyyah (Persian: رساله عملیه) or treatise on practical law. These treatises are also known as collections of juridical edicts or clarifications of questions (Arabic: توضيح المسائل). They are usually written by a mujtahid as part of the process of becoming a Marja'-e-Taqlid, i.e. a Grand Ayatollah.HawzaA hawza (Arabic: حوزة) or ḥawzah ʿilmīyah (Arabic: حوزة علمیة) is the collective term (plural hawzat) for a madrasa (i.e. seminary) where Shi'a Muslim scholars are educated. The word ḥawzah is Arabic, and has been adopted into Persian as a loan word. In Arabic, the word means "to hold something firmly". Accordingly, ḥawzah ʿilmīyah would mean a place where the firm knowledge (of the Muslim religion) is acquired.
List of current marajiMaraji (plural of marja) are the supreme legal authority followed by Twelver Shia Muslims, also known as Imamiyyah, around the world. The concept of a Marja al-taqlid (lit.'source of emulation') is central to Usuli Shi'a Islam. Marja al-taqlid provides religious interpretations on matters of law and rituals. Ideally, the most just and knowledgeable specialists in the field of Islamic law become recognized as the marja-i taqlid.
AyatollahAyatollah 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.
IjtihadIjtihad ( IJ-tə-HAHD; Arabic: اجتهاد ijtihād [ʔidʒ.tihaːd], lit. 'physical effort' or 'mental effort') is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law, or the thorough exertion of a jurist's mental faculty in finding a solution to a legal question. It is contrasted with taqlid (imitation, conformity to legal precedent).
Twelver Shi'ismBranch of Shia IslamA 1978 Iranian painting depicting the Twelve Imams. Ali is depicted in the center with his double-edged sword Zulfiqar, while the person whose face is obscured by light is the Mahdi.
ShariaIslamic lawSharia (; Arabic: شَرِيعَة, romanized: šarīʿa, lit. 'path [to water]', IPA:), also transliterated as Sharī'ah, Shari'a, Shariah, or erroneously referred to as Sharia Law is a body of religious law that form the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith.
Mohammad Sadeq RouhaniGrand AyatollahSayyidMuhammad-Sadiq Husayni Rohani (Persian: محمد صادق حسینی روحانی; 16 July 1926 – 16 December 2022) was an Iranian Shiamarja'. Rohani resided in Qom. He claimed to have gained ijtihad from the grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, at the age of 14. He announced his marja'iyya after the death of grand Ayatollah Hossein Borujerdi, at the age of 35.
Romanization of ArabicThe romanization of Arabic is the systematic rendering of written and spokenArabic in the Latin script. Romanized Arabic is used for various purposes, among them transcription of names and titles, cataloging Arabic language works, language education when used instead of or alongside the Arabic script, and representation of the language in scientific publications by linguists.Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-KulayniAbū Jaʿfar Muḥammad ibn Yaʿqūb ibn Isḥāq al-Kulaynī ar-Rāzī (محمد بن یعقوب بن اسحاق کلینی رازی; أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ ٱلْكُلَيْنِيُّ ٱلرَّازِيُّ; c. 255 AH / 868 CE – 329 AH / 941 CE) was a Persian Shia Muslim scholar, hadith compiler, and the author of Kitāb al-Kāfī.
Morteza AnsariGrand Ayatollah Sheikh Morteza Ansari Shushtari (1799–1864; Persian: مرتضی انصاری شوشتری; Arabic: مرتضی الأنصاري التستري, romanized: Murtadha al-Ansari al-Tostari), known as Shaykh al-Ta'ifah (Persian: شیخ الطائفه; Arabic: شيخ الطائفة, romanized: Shaykh al-Ṭāʾifah) was an Iranian Shia Islamic scholar who was “generally acknowledged as the most eminent jurist of the time".
Shia IslamSecond-largest branch of IslamShia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It is rooted in the belief that the Islamic prophet Muhammad explicitly designated his cousin and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib (r. 656–661) as his rightful political successor (caliph) and the divinely guided spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam).*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.