Imam (; ar, إمام '; plural: ') is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Islam, Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Salah, Islamic worship services, lead prayers, serve as community leaders, and provide religious guidance. Thus for Sunnis, anyone can study the basic Islamic sciences and become an Imam. For most Shia Islam, Shia Muslims, the Imams are absolute infallible leaders of the Islamic community after the Prophet. Shias consider the term to be only applicable to the members and descendents of the ''Ahl al-Bayt'', the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad. In Twelver Shiasm there are 14 The Fourteen Infallible, infallibles, 12 of which are Imams, the final being Muhammad al-Mahdi, Imam Mahdi who will return at the end of times. The title was also used by the Zaidiyyah, Zaidi Shia Imams of Yemen, who eventually founded the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1970).

Sunni imams

Sunni Islam does not have imams in the same sense as the Shi'a, an important distinction often overlooked by those outside of the Islamic religion. In everyday terms, an ''imam'' for Sunni Muslims is the one who leads Islamic formal (Fard) prayers, even in locations besides the mosque, whenever prayers are done in a group of two or more with one person leading (imam) and the others following by copying his ritual actions of worship. Friday Sermon, Friday sermon is most often given by an appointed imam. All mosques have an imam to lead the (Worship, congregational) prayers, even though it may sometimes just be a member from the gathered congregation rather than an officially appointed salaried person. The position of women as imams is controversial. The person that should be chosen, according to Hadith, is one who has most knowledge of the Quran and ''Sunnah'' (prophetic tradition) and is of good character. The term is also used for a recognized religious scholar or authority in Islam, often for the founding scholars of the four Sunni madhhabs, or schools of fiqh, jurisprudence (''fiqh''). It may also refer to the Islamic scholars who created the analytical sciences related to Hadith or it may refer to the heads of Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad's family in their generational times.

The position of imams in Turkey

Imams are appointed by the state to work at mosques and they are required to be graduates of an İmam Hatip school, İmam Hatip high school or have a university degree in Theology. This is an official position regulated by the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey and only males are appointed to this position; while female officials under the same state organisation work as preachers and Qur'an course tutors, religious services experts, etc. These officials are supposed to belong to the Hanafi school of the Sunni sect. A central figure in an Islamic movement is also called an imam, like Al-Nawawi, Imam Nawawi in Syria.

Shia imams

In the Shi'a context, an imam is not only presented as the man of God ''par excellence'', but as participating fully in the names, attributes, and acts that theology usually reserves for God alone. Imams have a meaning more central to belief, referring to leaders of the community. Twelver and Ismaili Shi'a believe that these imams are chosen by God to be perfect examples for the faithful and to lead all humanity in all aspects of life. They also believe that all the imams chosen are free from committing any sin, impeccability which is called ''ismah''. These leaders must be followed since they are appointed by God.

Twelver

Here follows a list of the Twelver Shi`ism, Twelvers Shia imams: Fatimah, also Fatimah al-Zahraa, daughter of Muhammed (615–632), is also considered infallible but not an Imam. The Shi'a believe that the last Imam, the 12th Imam Mahdi will one day emerge on the Day of Resurrection (''Qiyamah'').

Ismaili

: ''See Imamah (Ismaili doctrine) and List of Ismaili imams for Ismaili imams.''

Zaidi

:''See details under Zaidiyyah, Islamic history of Yemen and Imams of Yemen.''

Imams as secular rulers

At times, imams have held both secular and religious authority. This was the case in Oman among the Kharijite or Ibadi sects. At times, the imams were elected. At other times the position was inherited, as with the Yaruba dynasty from 1624 and 1742. See List of rulers of Oman, the Rustamid dynasty: 776–909, Nabhani dynasty: 1154–1624, the Yaruba dynasty: 1624–1742, the Al Said: 1744–present for further information. The Imamate of Futa Jallon (1727-1896) was a Fula people, Fulani state in West Africa where secular power alternated between two lines of hereditary Imams, or ''almami''. In the Zaidiyyah, Zaidi Shia Islam, Shiite sect, imams were secular as well as spiritual leaders who held power in Yemen for more than a thousand years. In 897, a Zaidi ruler, al-Hadi ila'l-Haqq Yahya, founded a line of such imams, a theocratic form of government which survived until the second half of the 20th century. (See details under Zaidiyyah, History of Yemen, Imams of Yemen.):) Ruhollah Khomeini is officially referred to as Imam in Iran. Several Iranian places and institutions are named "Imam Khomeini", including a Bandar-e Emam Khomeyni, city, an Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, international airport, a Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, hospital, and a Imam Khomeini International University, university.

Gallery

Imams

File:Asif muharram 1795 1.jpg, An Imam reads verses from the Quran after Isha' (night prayers) in the Mughal Empire File:Govardhan. A Discourse Between Muslim Sages ca. 1630 LACMA.jpg, Discourse between Islamic Imams in the Mughal Empire File:Карло Боссоли. Татарская школа для детей.jpg, Crimean Tatar imams teach the Quran. Lithograph by Carlo Bossoli File:Imam presidant la priere.jpg, Imam presiding over prayer, North Africa File:Pirosmani. Shamil with a Bodyguard. Oil on oil-cloth, 112x90 cm. The State Museum of Fine Arts of Georgia, Tbilisi.jpg, Imam Shamil, Caucasus File:Bruner-Dvorak, Rudolf - Bosna, imam (ca 1906).jpg, Imam in Bosnia, c. 1906 File:Roollah-khomeini.jpg, Imam Khomeini, leader of the Iranian Revolution, Iranian revolution File:Mahdist in the Khalifa's house, Omdurman, Sudan.png, An Imam in Omdurman, Sudan File:Constantinople(1878)-begging dervis.png, An Ottoman Empire, Ottoman imam in Constantinople File:Bosniak imam.jpg, A Bosniak military imam in the Austro-Hungarian Army File:Imam ndiawar.JPG, Imam Thierno Ibrahima Thiello File:Portret van Tuanku Imam Bonjol.jpg, Tuanku Imam Bonjol (of South East Asia)

Muftis

File:Mirza Huseyn Qayibzade.jpg, Grand Mufti Mirza Huseyn Qayibzade of Tbilisi File:Moeurs et costumes des Orientaux (recueil).f024.jpg, Travelling muftis of the Ottoman Empire File:Jakub Szynkiewicz.png, Mufti, Jakub Szynkiewicz File:Absattar Derbisali.png, Grand Mufti Absattar Derbisali of Kazakhstan File:Muftí.jpg, Ottoman Grand Mufti File:Türkischer Mufti.jpg, Ottoman Grand Mufti File:Makam Surgi Mufti (2).jpg, Tomb of mufti in Indonesia File:Supreme Mufti of Russia Talgat Tadzhuddin.jpeg, Grand Mufti Talgat Tadzhuddin File:Gérôme - Mufti Reading in His Prayer Stool.jpg, Mufti delivering a sermon

Shaykh

File:Portrait of Sheikhulislam by Huseinzade.jpg, Portrait of Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus Ahmad Huseinzadeh by Ali bey Huseynzade, Ali bey Huseynzadeh File:Muslim sheikh, Tbilisi (de Baye).JPG, Sheikh ul-Islam of the Caucasus Abdussalam Akhundzadeh File:Hamza Yusuf.png, Sheikh Hamza Yusuf File:G1895 pg006 KURDISH SHEIKHS.jpg, Kurdish people, Kurdish sheikhs, 1895. File:Sheykh of the Rufai Dervishes.jpg, Sheikh of the Rufai tariqa, Sufi Order

Notes

Citations

Works cited

* * Encyclopædia Britannica Online by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. * * * *

General references

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External links

* * * {{Authority control Islamic religious leaders Religious leadership roles Titles of national or ethnic leadership Imams, Islamic honorifics Imamate