Ayatollah: Difference between revisions

'''Āyatollāh''' (Arabic:{{iarabic| آیة الله}}) (lit.: the sign of [[Allah]]), is a title that is used for top ranking Shi'a [[faqihs]] (Jurists). Using ayatollah in this meaning became prevalent since the early 14th/20th century. After the establishment of the [[Seminary]] in [[Qom]] by [[Shaykh 'Abd al-Karim Ha'iri Yazdi]], other great [[faqih]]s also became referred to with this title. In the past centuries, this title was only used for [[al-'Allama al-Hilli]].

Titles such as, [[thiqat al-Islam]], [[hujjat al-Islam]] and ayatollah were first used for specific individuals as expressions of respect and all these titles remained exclusive to those certain scholars for several centuries. In the 4th/10th century, the title, "thiqat al-Islam" was given to [[al-Kulayni]]. In the 5th/11th century, the title, "hujjat al-Islam" was given to [[Muhammad al-Ghazali]]. In the 7th/13th century, the title, "al-muhaqqiq" was given to [[Ja'far b. al-Hasan al-Hilli]] (known as al-Muhaqqiq al-Hilli).

[[Al-Hasan b. Yusuf b. Mutahhar al-Hilli]], 8th/14th century, was the first scholar to be given the title of "ayatollah".  He is well-known by his other title, '''al-'Allama al-Hilli'''. [[Sharaf al-Din Shulistani]], [[al-Shaykh aliBaha'i]] and [[al-'Allama al-Majlisi]], mention al-'Allama al-Hilli with the title: Ayatollah fi al-'Alamin (the sign of [[Allah]] in the worlds). Al-'Alamma al-Majlisi uses the same title for Shams al-Din Muhammad b. Makki ([[al-Shahid al-Awwal]]).

In the early 14th/20th century, the title, "ayatollah" was used for someone else for the first time: [[Mirza Husayn Nuri]] (b. [[1254]]/1836 - d. [[1320]]/1903) gave the title to [[al-Sayyid Muhammad Mahdi Bahr al-'Ulum]].  After a few decades, [[Shaykh 'Abbas Qummi]] used the title of "ayatollah" for [[al-Shaykh Murtada al-Ansari]], [[Shaykh Husayn Najaf]] and [[al-Sayyid Muhammad Hasan al-Shirazi]]. At the time of [[Mashruta]] (Persian Constitutional Revolution) (1905 - 1911), historians used the title for [[al-Akhund al-Khurasani]], [[Mirza Husayn Mirza Khalil]], [[Shaykh 'Abd Allah Mazandarani]] and others. Before this time, all [[marja']]s were officially referred to with the title [[hujjat al-Islam]].

In [[1340]]/1922, when [[Shaykh 'Abd al-Karim Ha'iri]] established the [[Islamic seminary of Qom]] as the center of Shi'a Islamic studies, several great scholars who gathered there were referred to with the title, "ayatollah". Gradually, prominent scholars who had reached the position of a [[marja']] became referred to as ''ayatollah al-'uzma'' (grand ayatollah).

* The material for this article is mainly taken from {{ia|[[:fa:آیت الله|آیت الله]]}} in Farsi Wikishia.