Imam

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File:Imam presidant la priere.jpg

Imam presiding over prayer, Nasreddine Dinet, circa 1922

File:Prayer in Cairo 1865.jpg

Prayer in Cairo, painting by Jean-Léon Gérôme, 1865

Imam (Template:IPAc-en; Template:Langx, Template:Transliteration; Template:Plural form: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, Template:Transliteration) is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic prayers, serve as community leaders, and provide religious guidance. Thus for Sunnis, anyone can study the basic Islamic teachings and become an imam.

For most 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 descendants of the Ahl al-Bayt, the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. In Twelver Shi'ism there are 14 infallibles, 12 of which are Imams, the final being Imam Mahdi who will return at the end of times.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> The title was also used by the Zaidi Shia Imams of Yemen, who eventually founded the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1970).

Sunni imams

Sunni Islam does not conceive of the role of imams in the same sense as Shia Islam: an important distinction often overlooked by non-Muslims. In everyday terms, an imam for Sunni Muslims is the person charged with leading formal Islamic prayers (Fard)Template:Em dasheven in locations besides the mosqueTemplate:Em dashwhenever prayer is performed in a group of two or more. The imam leads the worship and the congregation copies his actions. Friday sermons are most often given by an appointed imam. All mosques have an imam to lead the congregational prayersTemplate:Em dasheven though it may sometimes just be a member from the gathered congregation rather than an officially appointed, salaried person. Women cannot be imams when men are present but are allowed to be when no men are present. An imam should be chosen, according to Hadith,Template:Which based on his knowledge of the Quran and Sunnah and his moral character.

Title of scholarly authority

Another well-known use of the term is as an honorary title for a recognized religious scholarly authority in Islam. It is especially used for a jurist (faqih) and often for the founders of the four Sunni madhhabs or schools of jurisprudence (fiqh), as well as an authority on Quranic exegesis (tafsir), such as Al-Tabari or Ibn Kathir.

It may also refer to the Muhaddithūn or scholars who created the analytical sciences related to Hadith; due to their scholarly authority, the term may also refer to the heads of Muhammad's family in their generational times.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

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 high school or have a university degree in theology. This is an official position regulated by the Presidency of Religious Affairs<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> in Turkey and only men are appointed to this position, whilst 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 Imam Nawawi in Syria.

Shia imams

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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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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 Twelvers Shia imams:

Number	Name (Full/Kunya)	Title (Arabic/Turkish)<ref>The imam's Arabic titles are used by the majority of Twelver Shia who use Arabic as a liturgical language, including the Usooli, Akhbari, Shaykhi, and to a lesser extent Alawi. Turkish titles are generally used by Alevi, a fringe Twelver group, who make up around 10% of the world Shia population. The titles for each imam literally translate as "First Ali", "Second Ali", and so forth. Template:Cite book</ref>	Birth–Death (CE/AH)Template:Efn	Importance	Birthplace (present day country)	Place of death and burial
1	Ali ibn Abi Talib علي بن أبي طالب Abu al-Hassan or Abu al-Husayn أبو الحسین or أبو الحسن	Amir al-Mu'minin (Commander of the Faithful)<ref name="Ali in Britannica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Birinci Ali<ref name="Alevi">Template:Cite book</ref>	600–661<ref name="Ali in Britannica"/> 23 BH–40<ref>Tabatabae (1979), pp.190-192</ref>	The first imam and successor of Muhammad in Shia Islam; however, the Sunnis acknowledge him as the fourth Caliph as well. He holds a high position in almost all Sufi Muslim orders (Turuq); the members of these orders trace their lineage to Muhammad through him.<ref name="Ali in Britannica"/>	Mecca, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Ali in Britannica"/>	Assassinated by Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Kharijite in Kufa, who slashed him with a poisoned sword.<ref name="Ali in Britannica"/><ref>Tabatabae (1979), p.192</ref> Buried at the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq.
2	Hassan ibn Ali الحسن بن علي Abu Muhammad أبو محمد	al-Mujtaba İkinci Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	624–670<ref name="Hasan in Britannica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> 3–50<ref>Tabatabae (1979), pp.194–195</ref>	He was the eldest surviving grandson of Muhammad through Muhammad's daughter, Fatimah Zahra. Hasan succeeded his father as the caliph in Kufa, and on the basis of peace treaty with Muawiya I, he relinquished control of Iraq following a reign of seven months.<ref name="Hasan ibn Ali Iranica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Hasan in Britannica"/>	Poisoned by his wife in Medina, Saudi Arabia.<ref>Tabatabae (1979), p.195</ref> Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
3	Husayn ibn Ali الحسین بن علي Abu Abdillah أبو عبدالله	Sayed al-Shuhada Üçüncü Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	626–680<ref name="Husayn in Britannica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> 4–61<ref>Tabatabae (1979), pp.196–199</ref>	He was a grandson of Muhammad. Husayn opposed the validity of Caliph Yazid I. As a result, he and his family were later killed in the Battle of Karbala by Yazid's forces. After this incident, the commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a central ritual in Shia identity.<ref name="Husayn in Britannica"/><ref name="Husayn ibn Ali Iranica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Husayn in Britannica"/>	Killed on Day of Ashura (10 Muharram) and beheaded at the Battle of Karbala.<ref name="Husayn in Britannica"/> Buried at the Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala, Iraq.
4	Ali ibn al-Hussein علي بن الحسین Abu Muhammad أبو محمد	al-Sajjad, Zain al-Abedin<ref name="Ali ibn Husayn in Iranica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Dördüncü Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	658–9<ref name="Ali ibn Husayn in Iranica"/> – 712<ref name="Tabatabae">Tabatabae (1979), p.202</ref> 38<ref name="Ali ibn Husayn in Iranica"/>–95<ref name="Tabatabae"/>	Author of prayers in Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, which is known as "The Psalm of the Household of the Prophet."<ref name="Tabatabae"/>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Ali ibn Husayn in Iranica"/>	According to most Shia scholars, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph al-Walid I in Medina, Saudi Arabia.<ref name="Tabatabae"/> Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
5	Muhammad ibn Ali محمد بن علي Abu Ja'far أبو جعفر	al-Baqir al-Ulum (splitting open knowledge)<ref name="Muhammad al-Baqir in Iranica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Beşinci Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	677–732<ref name="Muhammad al-Baqir in Iranica"/> 57–114<ref name="Muhammad al-Baqir in Iranica"/>	Sunni and Shia sources both describe him as one of the early and most eminent legal scholars, teaching many students during his tenure.<ref name="Muhammad al-Baqir in Iranica"/><ref>Tabatabae (1979), p.203</ref>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Muhammad al-Baqir in Iranica"/>	According to some Shia scholars, he was poisoned by Ibrahim ibn Walid ibn 'Abdallah in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the order of Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik.<ref name="Tabatabae"/> Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
6	Ja'far ibn Muhammad جعفر بن محمد Abu Abdillah أبو عبدالله	al-Sadiq<ref name="Jafar al-Sadiq">Tabatabae (1979), p.203-204</ref> (the Trustworthy) Altıncı Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	702–765<ref name="Jafar al-Sadiq"/> 83–148<ref name="Jafar al-Sadiq"/>	Established the Ja'fari jurisprudence and developed the Theology of Shia. He instructed many scholars in different fields, including Abu Hanifah and Malik ibn Anas in fiqh, Wasil ibn Ata and Hisham ibn Hakam in Islamic theology, and Jābir ibn Hayyān in science and alchemy.<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Jafar al-Sadiq"/>	According to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the order of Caliph Al-Mansur.<ref name="Jafar al-Sadiq"/> Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.
7	Musa ibn Ja'far موسی بن جعفر Abu al-Hassan I أبو الحسن الأول<ref name="Ali al-Reza in Iranica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>	al-Kazim<ref name="Musa al-Kazim">Tabatabae (1979), p.205</ref> Yedinci Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	744–799<ref name="Musa al-Kazim"/> 128–183<ref name="Musa al-Kazim"/>	Leader of the Shia community during the schism of Ismaili and other branches after the death of the former imam, Jafar al-Sadiq.<ref>Tabatabae (1979) p. 78</ref> He established the network of agents who collected khums in the Shia community of the Middle East and the Greater Khorasan.<ref>Sachedina (1988), pp.53–54</ref>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Musa al-Kazim"/>	Imprisoned and poisoned in Baghdad, Iraq on the order of Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Buried in the Kazimayn shrine in Baghdad.<ref name="Musa al-Kazim"/>
8	Ali ibn Musa علي بن موسی <ref name="Ali al-Reza in Iranica"/>	al-Rida, Reza<ref name="Ali al-Reza">Tabatabae (1979), pp.205–207</ref> Sekizinci Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	765–817<ref name="Ali al-Reza"/> 148–203<ref name="Ali al-Reza"/>	Made crown-prince by Caliph Al-Ma'mun, and famous for his discussions with both Muslim and non-Muslim religious scholars.<ref name="Ali al-Reza"/>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Ali al-Reza"/>	According to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Mashad, Iran on the order of Caliph Al-Ma'mun. Buried in the Imam Reza shrine in Mashad.<ref name="Ali al-Reza"/>
9	Muhammad ibn Ali محمد بن علي Abu Ja'far أبو جعفر	al-Taqi, al-Jawad<ref name="Muhammad al-Taqi">Tabatabae (1979), p. 207</ref> Dokuzuncu Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	810–835<ref name="Muhammad al-Taqi"/> 195–220<ref name="Muhammad al-Taqi"/>	Famous for his generosity and piety in the face of persecution by the Abbasid caliphate.	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Muhammad al-Taqi"/>	Poisoned by his wife, Al-Ma'mun's daughter, in Baghdad, Iraq on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tasim. Buried in the Kazmain shrine in Baghdad.<ref name="Muhammad al-Taqi"/>
10	Ali ibn Muhammad علي بن محمد Abu al-Hassan III أبو الحسن الثالث<ref name="Ali al-Hadi in Iranica"/>	al-Hadi, al-Naqi<ref name="Ali al-Hadi in Iranica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Onuncu Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	827–868<ref name="Ali al-Hadi in Iranica"/> 212–254<ref name="Ali al-Hadi in Iranica"/>	Strengthened the network of deputies in the Shia community. He sent them instructions, and received in turn financial contributions of the faithful from the khums and religious vows.<ref name="Ali al-Hadi in Iranica"/>	Surayya, a village near Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="Ali al-Hadi in Iranica"/>	According to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Samarra, Iraq on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tazz.<ref>Tabatabae (1979), pp.208–209</ref> Buried in the Al Askari Mosque in Samarra.
11	Hassan ibn Ali الحسن بن علي Abu Muhammad أبو محمد	al-Askari<ref name="al-Askari in Iranica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Onbirinci Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	846–874<ref name="al-Askari in Iranica"/> 232–260<ref name="al-Askari in Iranica"/>	For most of his life, the Abbasid Caliph, Al-Mu'tamid, placed restrictions on him after the death of his father. Repression of the Shi'ite population was particularly high at the time due to their large size and growing power.<ref>Tabatabae (1979) pp. 209–210</ref>	Medina, Saudi Arabia<ref name="al-Askari in Iranica"/>	According to Shia, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tamid in Samarra, Iraq. Buried in Al Askari Mosque in Samarra.<ref>Tabatabae (1979), pp.209–210</ref>
12	Muhammad ibn al-Hassan محمد بن الحسن Abu al-Qasim أبو القاسم	al-Mahdi, Hidden Imam, al-Hujjah<ref name="al-Hujjah in Britannica">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Onikinci Ali<ref name = "Alevi"/>	868–unknown<ref name="al-Hujjah">Tabatabae (1979), pp.210–211</ref> 255–unknown<ref name="al-Hujjah"/>	According to Twelver doctrine, he is the current imam and the promised Mahdi, a messianic figure who will return with Isa (Jesus). He will reestablish the rightful governance of Islam and replete the earth with justice and peace.<ref>Tabatabae (1979), pp. 211–214</ref>	Samarra, Iraq<ref name="al-Hujjah"/>	According to Shia doctrine, he has been living in the Occultation since 872, which shall continue as long as God wills it.<ref name="al-Hujjah"/>

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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The Imamate of Futa Jallon (1727–1896) was a Fulani state in West Africa where secular power alternated between two lines of hereditary Imams, or almami.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In the Zaidi 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). Saudi leaders were also referred to as "Imams", until that term was retired by Ibn Saud to be replaced by "king".

Ruhollah Khomeini is officially referred to as Imam in Iran. Several Iranian places and institutions are named "Imam Khomeini", including a city, an international airport, a hospital, and a university.

Gallery

Imams

• Asif muharram 1795 1.jpg

  An Imam reads verses from the Quran after Isha' (night prayers) in the Mughal Empire

• Govardhan. A Discourse Between Muslim Sages ca. 1630 LACMA.jpg

  Discourse between Islamic Imams in the Mughal Empire

• Карло Боссоли. Татарская школа для детей.jpg

  Crimean Tatar imams teach the Quran. Lithograph by Carlo Bossoli

• Pirosmani. Shamil with a Bodyguard. Oil on oil-cloth, 112x90 cm. The State Museum of Fine Arts of Georgia, Tbilisi.jpg

  Imam Shamil, Caucasus

• Bruner-Dvorak, Rudolf - Bosna, imam (ca 1906).jpg

  Imam in Bosnia, Template:Circa

• Roollah-khomeini.jpg

  Imam Khomeini, leader of the Iranian revolution

• Mahdist in the Khalifa's house, Omdurman, Sudan.png

  An Imam in Omdurman, Sudan

• Constantinople(1878)-begging dervis.png

  An Ottoman imam in Constantinople

• Bosniak imam.jpg

  A Bosniak military imam in the Austro-Hungarian Army

• Imam ndiawar.JPG

  Imam Thierno Ibrahima Thiello

See also

• Ayatollah
• Imam of Friday Prayer
• Imamate
• Mufti
• Twelver Shia holy days

Works cited

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• Encyclopædia Britannica Online by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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General references

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External links

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