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'''Al-Marjaʿīyya al-Dīnīyya''' (Arabic: {{ia|المَرجَعیّة الدینیة}}, literally: religious authority) or '''Marjaʿ''' (Arabic: {{ia|مرجع}}) is a [[mujtahid]] whose [[fatwa]]s about [[Fiqh|jurisprudential]] issues are followed and acted upon by some [[Shi'a]]s and who receives [[al-wujuhat al-shar'iyya]] (judicial alms) from his followers. Al-Marja'iyya is the highest religious ranking for [[Twelver Shi' | '''Al-Marjaʿīyya al-Dīnīyya''' (Arabic: {{ia|المَرجَعیّة الدینیة}}, literally: religious authority) or '''Marjaʿ''' (Arabic: {{ia|مرجع}}) is a [[mujtahid]] whose [[fatwa]]s about [[Fiqh|jurisprudential]] issues are followed and acted upon by some [[Shi'a]]s and who receives [[al-wujuhat al-shar'iyya]] (judicial alms) from his followers. Al-Marja'iyya is the highest religious ranking for [[Twelver Shi'a]]s. The position is not held by appointment. The Shi'as usually identify the person who qualifies as an authority by asking religious scholars and clergy. The most crucial condition for qualifying for al-Marja'iyya is [[a'lamiyya|scholarly superiority]] to other mujtahids. The followers of al-Marja'iyya are called his "Muqallids" (followers). Jurisprudential views of al-Marja'iyya are usually collected in a book known as [[al-Risalat al-'Amaliyya]] (book of fatwas). | ||
Given the geographical distribution of the Shiite population, several mujtahids usually undertake the position of Marja'iyya in each period, and in very few cases, one mujtahid is considered by the majority of the Shi'as in the world as the absolute authority. These mujtahids are usually referred to by honorary titles, such as Grand Ayatollah and [[Ayatollah]]. Most of the Shiite authorities were based in [[Iraq]] ([[Najaf]], [[Karbala]], and [[Samarra]]) and [[Iran]] ([[Qom]], [[Mashhad]], [[Isfahan]], and [[Tehran]]). | Given the geographical distribution of the Shiite population, several mujtahids usually undertake the position of Marja'iyya in each period, and in very few cases, one mujtahid is considered by the majority of the Shi'as in the world as the absolute authority. These mujtahids are usually referred to by honorary titles, such as Grand Ayatollah and [[Ayatollah]]. Most of the Shiite authorities were based in [[Iraq]] ([[Najaf]], [[Karbala]], and [[Samarra]]) and [[Iran]] ([[Qom]], [[Mashhad]], [[Isfahan]], and [[Tehran]]). | ||
The most prominent recent Shiite authorities were [[Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi]] known as the author of ''[[Jawahir al-kalam]]'', [[Shaykh Murtada Ansari]], [[Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi]] (who issued the | The most prominent recent Shiite authorities were [[Muhammad Hasan al-Najafi]] known as the author of ''[[Jawahir al-kalam]]'', [[Shaykh Murtada Ansari]], [[Sayyid Muhammad Hasan Shirazi]] (who issued the fatwa of [[Tobacco Movement|prohibition of tobacco]]), [[Akhund Khurasani]], [[Sayyid Husayn Burujirdi]], [[Sayyid Muhsin Hakim]], and [[Sayyid Ruh Allah Khumayni]] (the founder of the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]]). | ||
Shiite authorities have usually had a strong influence on people, and sometimes their views or statements about social, political, and cultural issues led to movements among their followers. The [[Russo-Persian War]], the [[Tobacco Movement]], [[Persian Constitutional Revolution]], [[1920 Iraqi Revolt]] (Thawrat al-'Ishrin), and the [[Islamic Revolution of Iran]] can be considered as the most important results of the influences of the Shiite authorities. | Shiite authorities have usually had a strong influence on people, and sometimes their views or statements about social, political, and cultural issues have led to movements among their followers. The [[Russo-Persian War]], the [[Tobacco Movement]], [[Persian Constitutional Revolution]], [[1920 Iraqi Revolt]] (Thawrat al-'Ishrin), and the [[Islamic Revolution of Iran]] can be considered as the most important results of the influences of the Shiite authorities. | ||
==Marja'iyya== | ==Marja'iyya== | ||
Marja'iyya is the most important social and religious position in the Shiite community. Marja' is a mujtahid who is followed by a number of the Shi'as, that is, some Shi'as practice their religious acts in accordance with that mujtahid's jurisprudential views (that is, [[fatwas]]) and pay their judicial alms (al-wujuhat) to him or his representatives. To follow a religious scholar in this way is called "[[taqlid]]". | Marja'iyya is the most important social and religious position in the Shiite community. Marja' is a mujtahid who is followed by a number of the Shi'as, that is, some Shi'as practice their religious acts in accordance with that mujtahid's jurisprudential views (that is, [[fatwas]]) and pay their judicial alms (al-wujuhat) to him or his representatives. To follow a religious scholar in this way is called "[[taqlid]]". | ||
The extent of the social influence of a Marja' depends on the number of his followers. The financial power of a Marja' is reinforced by the judicial alms paid by his followers. Shiite authorities can | The extent of the social influence of a Marja' depends on the number of his followers. The financial power of a Marja' is reinforced by the judicial alms paid by his followers. Shiite authorities can spend these financial resources in religious propagation, administration of [[Al-Hawza al-'Ilmiyya|Islamic Seminaries]], helping people in need, and public services. | ||
==Conditions of Marja'iyya== | ===Conditions of Marja'iyya=== | ||
A [[mujtahid]] can qualify as a marja' if it is permissible to follow his fatwas, that is, to act upon his jurisprudential views. To qualify for this, the mujtahid should meet some requirements the most important of which is that he should be superior to other qualified mujtahids with regard to his scholarship in [[fiqh]]. Other conditions include justice, being a man, maturity, and sanity. | A [[mujtahid]] can qualify as a marja' if it is permissible to follow his fatwas, that is, to act upon his jurisprudential views. To qualify for this, the mujtahid should meet some requirements the most important of which is that he should be superior to other qualified mujtahids with regard to his scholarship in [[fiqh]]. Other conditions include justice, being a man, maturity, and sanity. | ||
==Procedures of Selection== | ===Procedures of Selection=== | ||
A Marja' is not selected by appointment. A person becomes a Shiite authority when the Shi'as accept him as an authority. In essays of fatwas (al-rasa'il al-'amaliyya), some ways are introduced for finding out about a person who is qualified for Marja'iyya: personal knowledge, judicial evidence (that two qualified persons testify that someone is [[A'lam]]—superior in scholarship), being well-known as A'lam, or being introduced by a group of scholars such that their views lead to personal knowledge. | A Marja' is not selected by appointment. A person becomes a Shiite authority when the Shi'as accept him as an authority. In essays of fatwas (al-rasa'il al-'amaliyya), some ways are introduced for finding out about a person who is qualified for Marja'iyya: personal knowledge, judicial evidence (that two qualified persons testify that someone is [[A'lam]]—superior in scholarship), being well-known as A'lam, or being introduced by a group of scholars such that their views lead to personal knowledge. | ||
==Tasks== | ===Tasks=== | ||
The most important task of a Marja' is to issue fatwas for his followers in religious matters. However, Marja'iyya is not restricted to issuing fatwas. Shiite authorities are usually well-known teachers of Islamic seminaries, and Islamic seminaries are administered under their supervision. | The most important task of a Marja' is to issue fatwas for his followers in religious matters. However, Marja'iyya is not restricted to issuing fatwas. Shiite authorities are usually well-known teachers of Islamic seminaries, and Islamic seminaries are administered under their supervision. | ||
==Financial Resources== | ===Financial Resources=== | ||
The institution of Marja'iyya is financially dependent on judicial alms, people's donations, and personal [[nadhr|vows]]. | The institution of Marja'iyya is financially dependent on judicial alms, people's donations, and personal [[nadhr|vows]]. | ||
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Shiite authorities usually have a strong influence on their followers and even all the Shi'as, and thus, they can establish their social and political views. For example, after the [[fatwa]] of [[Sayyid Muhammad Mujahid]], a great number of the Shi'as went to war against the Russians; the fatwa of the tobacco ban by [[Mirza Shirazi]] led to the abolishment of the tobacco monopoly in Iran; and [[June 5, 1963 Demonstrations]] in Iran to protest the arrest of [[Ayatollah Khomeini]]. | Shiite authorities usually have a strong influence on their followers and even all the Shi'as, and thus, they can establish their social and political views. For example, after the [[fatwa]] of [[Sayyid Muhammad Mujahid]], a great number of the Shi'as went to war against the Russians; the fatwa of the tobacco ban by [[Mirza Shirazi]] led to the abolishment of the tobacco monopoly in Iran; and [[June 5, 1963 Demonstrations]] in Iran to protest the arrest of [[Ayatollah Khomeini]]. | ||
According to the Sunni scholar, [[Muhammad Rashid Rida]], no Sunni scholar has had the influence of Shiite mujtahids—especially those educated in the Islamic seminary of Najaf—neither | According to the Sunni scholar, [[Muhammad Rashid Rida]], no Sunni scholar has had the influence of Shiite mujtahids—especially those educated in the Islamic seminary of Najaf—neither alone nor collectively. He mentions as examples the boycott of elections in Iraq in the period of the [[King Faisal]] and the tobacco ban by Mirza Shirazi. Samuel Benjamin, a US envoy to Iran, said that the most important mujtahid in Tehran commutes with a mule and only has one servant, but he can topple down the king with one word. | ||
==Historical Periods of Marja'yya== | ==Historical Periods of Marja'yya== | ||
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The Persian Constitutional Movement led to obvious interventions of Shiite authorities in political affairs. [[Akhund Khurasani]] and [[Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Yazdi]], the author of ''[[al-'Urwat al-wuthqa]]'', were crucial figures in the movement both of whom were Najaf-based Iranians. However, they had opposing views about the Constitutional Movement. Khurasani issued the Constitutional fatwa, and Yazdi opposed it. | The Persian Constitutional Movement led to obvious interventions of Shiite authorities in political affairs. [[Akhund Khurasani]] and [[Sayyid Muhammad Kazim Yazdi]], the author of ''[[al-'Urwat al-wuthqa]]'', were crucial figures in the movement both of whom were Najaf-based Iranians. However, they had opposing views about the Constitutional Movement. Khurasani issued the Constitutional fatwa, and Yazdi opposed it. | ||
In 1337/1918 when [['Abd al-Karim al-Ha'iri al-Yazdi]] moved to [[Qom]], a new period of the [[Islamic Seminary of Qom]] began. Sayyid al-Yazdi died in | In 1337/1918 when [['Abd al-Karim al-Ha'iri al-Yazdi]] moved to [[Qom]], a new period of the [[Islamic Seminary of Qom]] began. Sayyid al-Yazdi died in the same year. When the Islamic Seminary of Qom was taking shape and Sayyid al-Yazdi and [[Shaykh al-Shari'a Isfahani]] (d. 1339/1920) died, part of the Shiite authority moved to Iran along with al-Ha'iri himself. [[Sayyid Husayn Burujirdi]]'s migration to Qom in 1363/1943 and his activities led to the burgeoning of the Islamic Seminary of Qom. After the death of [[Sayyid Abu l-Hasan al-Isfahani]] (d. 1946) who lived in Najaf, Burujirdi was the prominent Shiite authority until 1961. | ||
After the death of Ayatollah Burujirdi, Marja'iyya was not concentrated in | After the death of Ayatollah Burujirdi, Marja'iyya was not concentrated in a single person. There were a number of Shiite authorities in Iran and Iraq in this period. Although in the early years of this period, [[Sayyid Muhsin al-Hakim]] (d. 1390/1970) in Najaf was more outstanding than others, late in this period of 33 years, [[Sayyid Ruh Allah Khomeini]] (d. 1409/1989), the founder of the [[Islamic Republic of Iran]], turned into the most widely accepted Shiite authority in Iran and [[Sayyid Abu l-Qasim Khu'i]] turned into the most influential Najaf-based Shiite authority. | ||
After the death of Sayyid Abu l-Qasim Khu'i in 1413/1992, for three years the global Shiite authority was concentrated in Qom. This was because of the death of Shiite authorities in Najaf, the deportation of many Iranian scholars | After the death of Sayyid Abu l-Qasim Khu'i in 1413/1992, for three years the global Shiite authority was concentrated in Qom. This was because of the death of Shiite authorities in Najaf, the deportation of many Iranian scholars from the Islamic Seminary of Najaf, and the restrictions imposed by the ruling [[Ba'ath Party]] in Iraq. The compulsory migration of Najaf-based Iranian scholars led to the thriving of the Islamic Seminary of Qom and the weakness of the Islamic Seminary of Najaf. In this rather short period, [[Sayyid Muhammad Rida Gulpayigani]] and [[Muhammad 'Ali Araki]] were the most prominent Shiite authorities. | ||
The period of the contemporary Marja'iyya began after the death of Muhammad 'Ali Araki (1415/1994). In this period, a number of mujtahids in Iran, Iraq, [[Lebanon]], and [[Pakistan]] have been the Shiite authorities. | The period of the contemporary Marja'iyya began after the death of Muhammad 'Ali Araki (1415/1994). In this period, a number of mujtahids in Iran, Iraq, [[Lebanon]], and [[Pakistan]] have been the Shiite authorities. | ||
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* The material for writing this article has been mainly taken from [http://fa.wikishia.net/view/مرجع_تقلید مرجع تقلید] in Farsi wikishia. | * The material for writing this article has been mainly taken from [http://fa.wikishia.net/view/مرجع_تقلید مرجع تقلید] in Farsi wikishia. | ||
{{end}} | {{end}} | ||
{{Seminary}} | |||
[[fa: مرجع تقلید]] | [[fa: مرجع تقلید]] | ||
[[ar:المرجعية الدينية]] | [[ar:المرجعية الدينية]] | ||