I would like to post a proposal for the format of naming Muslim clergy. I would like to either create a separate pageWikipedia:Naming conventions (Islamic clergy), or post it here. My proposal is that Muslim clergy such as Ayatollahs go with their titles, just like Western clergy. Forayatollahs use the format(Grand) Ayatollah {name} {surname}. For example useGrand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani and not Ali al-Sistani, andAyatollah Mohammad Yazdi and not Mohammad Yazdi.Gryffindor21:57, 23 May 2006 (UTC)[reply]

1. Christian clergy do not go with their titles except some before about 1650s. The pope does because he is the only person alive in that highest position. Most others likeRowan Williams don't include titles in the article name.
2. Moreover, there are several hundreds of "ayatollahs". For example, each of the 86-members of theAssembly of Experts must be a mullah and many of them are "ayatollahs". We don't have articles on many members thereof except a few likeAli Meshkini andMohammad Taghi Mesbah Yazdi. Plus, most Iranians call ayatollahs simply by their last names likeJannati orMontazeri.
3. Aside from the aforesaid,collectively speaking Muslim clergy are moresanguinary than other types of clergy; so not everyone likes them in Iran exceptBasijis and other minions of mullahs. But I digress in this paragraph.--Patchouli02:09, 1 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

UseWikipedia:Naming conventions (Western clergy) as a start, its prior example to allow Ayatollah to be used if he has earned the title, to quote "General guideline is then to use the ecclesiastical title the person was best known, or was highest"--Tigeroo11:16, 21 September 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The above proposal went nowhere.Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani is still a redirect toAli al-Sistani andAyatollah Mohammad Yazdi is still a redirect toMohammad Yazdi. See [[1]] for a similar discussion.LeadSongDogcome howl!18:32, 29 August 2011 (UTC)[reply]

• Wikipedia style guideline proposals