Imam (/ɪˈmɑːm/;Arabic:إمام,imām;pl.:أئمة,a'immah) is anIslamic leadership position. ForSunni Muslims, imam is most commonly used as the title of a prayer leader of amosque. In this context, imams may leadIslamic prayers, serve as community leaders, and provide religious guidance. Thus for Sunnis, anyone can study the basic Islamic teachings and become an imam. ItsChristian equivalent/counterpart is apastor or apriest.
For mostShia 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 theAhl al-Bayt, the family of the Islamic prophetMuhammad. InTwelver Shi'ism there are 14infallibles, 12 of which are imams, the final beingImam Mahdi who will return at the end of times.[1] The title was also used by theZaidi Shiaimams of Yemen, who eventually founded theMutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1970).
Sunni Islam does not conceive of the role of imams in the same sense asShia Islam: an important distinction often overlooked by non-Muslims. In everyday terms, animam for Sunni Muslims is the person charged with leading formal Islamic prayers (Fard)—even in locations besides the mosque—whenever 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 prayers—even 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 toHadith,[which?] based on his knowledge of theQuran andSunnah and his moral character.
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 ajurist (faqih) and often for the founders of the four Sunnimadhhabs or schools ofjurisprudence (fiqh), as well as an authority onQuranicexegesis (tafsir)]], such asAl-Tabari orIbn Kathir.
It may also refer to theMuhaddithūn or scholars who created the analytical sciences related toHadith; due to their scholarly authority, the term may also refer to the heads ofMuhammad's family in their generational times.[2]
Imams are appointed by the state to work at mosques and they are required to be graduates of anİmam Hatip high school or have a university degree in theology. This is an official position regulated by thePresidency of Religious Affairs[3] 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 theHanafi school of the Sunni sect.
A central figure in an Islamic movement is also called an imam, likeImam Nawawi in Syria.
In the Shi'a context, an imam is not only presented as the man of Godpar excellence, but as participating fully in the names, attributes, and acts that theology usually reserves for God alone.[4] Imams have a meaning more central to belief, referring to leaders of the community.Twelver andIsmaili 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 calledismah. These leaders must be followed since they are appointed by God.
He was the eldest surviving grandson ofMuhammad through Muhammad's daughter,Fatimah Zahra. Hasan succeeded his father as the caliph inKufa, and on the basis of peace treaty withMuawiya I, he relinquished control ofIraq following a reign of seven months.[12]
Leader of the Shia community during the schism ofIsmaili and other branches after the death of the former imam,Jafar al-Sadiq.[25] He established the network of agents who collectedkhums in the Shia community of the Middle East and theGreater Khorasan.[26]
Strengthened the network ofdeputies in the Shia community. He sent them instructions, and received in turn financial contributions of the faithful from thekhums and religious vows.[29]
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.[32]
According to Twelver doctrine, he is the current imam and the promisedMahdi, a messianic figure who will return withIsa (Jesus). He will reestablish the rightful governance of Islam and replete the earth with justice and peace.[36]
According to Shia doctrine, he has been living in theOccultation since 872, which shall continue as long as God wills it.[35]
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 ImamMahdi will one day emerge on theDay of Resurrection (Qiyamah).
At times, imams have held both secular and religious authority. This was the case inOman among theKharijite orIbadi sects. At times, the imams were elected. At other times the position was inherited, as with theYaruba dynasty from 1624 and 1742. SeeList of rulers of Oman, theRustamid dynasty: 776–909,Nabhani dynasty: 1154–1624, theYaruba dynasty: 1624–1742, theAl Said: 1744–present for further information.[37] TheImamate of Futa Jallon (1727–1896) was aFulani state in West Africa where secular power alternated between two lines of hereditary imams, oralmami.[38] In theZaidiShiite sect, imams were secular as well as spiritual leaders who held power inYemen 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 underZaidiyyah,History of Yemen,Imams of Yemen).Saudi leaders were also referred to as "imams", until that term was retired byIbn Saud to be replaced by "king".
^Amir-Moezzi, Ali (2008).Spirituality and Islam. London: Tauris. p. 103.ISBN9781845117382.
^The imam's Arabic titles are used by the majority of Twelver Shia who useArabic as aliturgical language, including theUsooli,Akhbari,Shaykhi, and to a lesser extentAlawi. Turkish titles are generally used byAlevi, 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.Mattar, Philip (2004).Encyclopedia of the modern Middle East & North Africa. Detroit, Mich: Macmillan Reference USA.ISBN9780028657691.
Corbin, Henry (1993) [1964].History of Islamic Philosophy (in French). Translated by Sherrard, Liadain;Sherrard, Philip. London; Kegan Paul International in association with Islamic Publications for The Institute of Ismaili Studies.ISBN0-7103-0416-1.
Mattar, Philip (2004).Encyclopedia of the modern Middle East & North Africa. Detroit, Mich: Macmillan Reference USA.ISBN9780028657691.
Sachedina, Abdulaziz Abdulhussein (1988).The Just Ruler (al-sultān Al-ʻādil) in Shīʻite Islam: The Comprehensive Authority of the Jurist in Imamite Jurisprudence. Oxford University Press US.ISBN0-19-511915-0.
Martin, Richard C. (2004). "Imam".Encyclopaedia of Islam and the Muslim World. Vol. 1:Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World: A–L. MacMillan.ISBN0-02-865604-0.
Momen, Moojan (1985).An Introduction to Shi'i Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelve. Yale University Press.ISBN0-300-03531-4.
.jpg)
-begging_dervis.png)
