Imam(/ɪˈmɑːm/,Arabic:إمام,imām;pl.:أئمة,a'immah) is anIslamicleadership 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 sciences and become an Imam.
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 Shīʿīsmthere are 14infallibles,12 of which are Imams, the final beingImam Mahdiwho 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 imams
editSunni Islamdoes not conceive of the role of imams in the same sense asShia Islam:an important distinction often overlooked by non-Muslims. In everyday terms, animamfor 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 sermonsare 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 imamswhen 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 theQuranandSunnahand his moral character.
Title of scholarly authority
editAnother 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 (faqīh)and often for the founders of the four Sunnimadhhabs or schools ofjurisprudence (fiqh),as well as an authority onQuranic exegesis (tafsīr),such asAl-TabariorIbn Kathir.
It may also refer to theMuhaddithūnor scholars who created the analytical sciences related toHadithand sometimes refer to the heads ofMuhammad's family in their generational times due to their scholarly authority.[2]
| Occupation | |
|---|---|
Occupation type | vocation |
Activity sectors | religion |
| Description | |
| Competencies | Knowledge of Quran and Sunnah, religious devotion |
Education required | Madrassa,İmam Hatip schoolor university education |
Fields of employment | Mosque |
Related jobs | Mufti |
The position of imams in Turkey
editImams are appointed by the state to work at mosques and they are required to be graduates of anİmam Hatip high schoolor have a university degree in theology. This is an official position regulated by thePresidency of Religious Affairs[3]in Turkey and only males 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 schoolof the Sunni sect.
A central figure in an Islamic movement is also called an imam, likeImam Nawawiin Syria.
Shia imams
editIn 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.TwelverandIsmailiShi'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.
Twelver
editHere follows a list of theTwelversShia imams:
| Number | Name (Full/Kunya) |
Title (Arabic/Turkish)[5] |
Birth–Death (CE/AH)[a] |
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)[6] Birinci Ali[7] |
600–661[6] 23 BH–40[8] |
The firstimamandsuccessor of MuhammadinShia Islam;however, theSunnisacknowledge him as thefourth Caliphas well. He holds a high position in almost allSufiMuslim orders(Turuq); the members of these orders trace their lineage to Muhammad through him.[6] | Mecca,Saudi Arabia[6] | Assassinated byAbd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam,aKharijiteinKufa,who slashed him with a poisoned sword.[6][9]Buried at theImam Ali MosqueinNajaf,Iraq. |
| 2 | Hassan ibn Ali الحسن بن علي Abu Muhammad أبو محمد |
al-Mujtaba İkinci Ali[7] |
624–670[10]
3–50[11] |
He was the eldest surviving grandson ofMuhammadthrough 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 ofIraqfollowing a reign of seven months.[12] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[10] | Poisoned by his wife inMedina,Saudi Arabia.[13]Buried inJannat al-Baqi. |
| 3 | Husayn ibn Ali الحسین بن علي Abu Abdillah أبو عبدالله |
Sayed al-Shuhada Üçüncü Ali[7] |
626–680[14]
4–61[15] |
He was a grandson ofMuhammad.Husayn opposed the validity ofCaliphYazid I.As a result, he and his family were later killed in theBattle of Karbalaby Yazid's forces. After this incident, thecommemoration of Husayn ibn Alihas become a central ritual in Shia identity.[14][16] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[14] | Killed onDay of Ashura(10 Muharram) and beheaded at theBattle of Karbala.[14]Buried at theImam Husayn ShrineinKarbala,Iraq. |
| 4 | Ali ibn al-Hussein علي بن الحسین Abu Muhammad أبو محمد |
al-Sajjad, Zain al-Abedin[17]
Dördüncü Ali[7] |
658–9[17]– 712[18]
38[17]–95[18] |
Author of prayers inSahifa al-Sajjadiyya,which is known as "The Psalm ofthe Household of the Prophet."[18] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[17] | According to most Shia scholars, he was poisoned on the order of Caliphal-Walid IinMedina,Saudi Arabia.[18]Buried inJannat al-Baqi. |
| 5 | Muhammad ibn Ali محمد بن علي Abu Ja'far أبو جعفر |
al-Baqir al-Ulum (splitting open knowledge)[19] Beşinci Ali[7] |
677–732[19]
57–114[19] |
Sunni and Shia sources both describe him as one of the early and most eminentlegal scholars,teaching many students during his tenure.[19][20] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[19] | According to some Shia scholars, he was poisoned by Ibrahim ibn Walid ibn 'Abdallah inMedina,Saudi Arabiaon the order of CaliphHisham ibn Abd al-Malik.[18]Buried inJannat al-Baqi. |
| 6 | Ja'far ibn Muhammad جعفر بن محمد Abu Abdillah أبو عبدالله |
al-Sadiq[21]
Altıncı Ali[7] |
702–765[21]
83–148[21] |
Established theJa'fari jurisprudenceand developed theTheology of Shia.He instructed many scholars in different fields, includingAbu HanifahandMalik ibn Anasinfiqh,Wasil ibn AtaandHisham ibn HakaminIslamic theology,andJābir ibn Hayyānin science andalchemy.[22] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[21] | According to Shia sources, he was poisoned inMedina,Saudi Arabiaon the order of CaliphAl-Mansur.[21]Buried inJannat al-Baqi. |
| 7 | Musa ibn Ja'far موسی بن جعفر Abu al-Hassan I أبو الحسن الأول[23] |
al-Kazim[24]
Yedinci Ali[7] |
744–799[24]
128–183[24] |
Leader of the Shia community during the schism ofIsmailiand other branches after the death of the former imam,Jafar al-Sadiq.[25]He established the network of agents who collectedkhumsin the Shia community of the Middle East and theGreater Khorasan.[26] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[24] | Imprisoned and poisoned inBaghdad,Iraqon the order of CaliphHarun al-Rashid.Buried in theKazimayn shrinein Baghdad.[24] |
| 8 | Ali ibn Musa علي بن موسی [23] |
al-Rida, Reza[27]
Sekizinci Ali[7] |
765–817[27]
148–203[27] |
Made crown-prince by CaliphAl-Ma'mun,and famous for his discussions with both Muslim and non-Muslim religious scholars.[27] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[27] | According to Shia sources, he was poisoned inMashad,Iranon the order of Caliph Al-Ma'mun. Buried in theImam Reza shrineinMashad.[27] |
| 9 | Muhammad ibn Ali محمد بن علي Abu Ja'far أبو جعفر |
al-Taqi, al-Jawad[28]
Dokuzuncu Ali[7] |
810–835[28]
195–220[28] |
Famous for his generosity and piety in the face of persecution by theAbbasid caliphate. | Medina,Saudi Arabia[28] | Poisoned by his wife, Al-Ma'mun's daughter, inBaghdad,Iraqon the order of CaliphAl-Mu'tasim.Buried in theKazmain shrinein Baghdad.[28] |
| 10 | Ali ibn Muhammad علي بن محمد Abu al-Hassan III أبو الحسن الثالث[29] |
al-Hadi, al-Naqi[29]
Onuncu Ali[7] |
827–868[29]
212–254[29] |
Strengthened the network ofdeputiesin the Shia community. He sent them instructions, and received in turn financial contributions of the faithful from thekhumsand religious vows.[29] | Surayya, a village nearMedina,Saudi Arabia[29] | According to Shia sources, he was poisoned inSamarra,Iraqon the order of CaliphAl-Mu'tazz.[30]Buried in theAl Askari Mosquein Samarra. |
| 11 | Hassan ibn Ali الحسن بن علي Abu Muhammad أبو محمد |
al-Askari[31]
Onbirinci Ali[7] |
846–874[31]
232–260[31] |
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] | Medina,Saudi Arabia[31] | According to Shia, he was poisoned on the order of CaliphAl-Mu'tamidinSamarra,Iraq.Buried inAl Askari Mosquein Samarra.[33] |
| 12 | Muhammad ibn al-Hassan محمد بن الحسن Abu al-Qasim أبو القاسم |
al-Mahdi,Hidden Imam, al-Hujjah[34]
Onikinci Ali[7] |
868–unknown[35]
255–unknown[35] |
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] | Samarra,Iraq[35] | According to Shia doctrine, he has been living in theOccultationsince 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 ImamMahdiwill one day emerge on theDay of Resurrection(Qiyamah).
Ismaili
edit- SeeImamah (Ismaili doctrine)andList of Ismaili imamsfor Ismaili imams.
Zaidi
edit- See details underZaidiyyah,Islamic history of YemenandImams of Yemen.
Imams as secular rulers
editAt times, imams have held both secular and religious authority. This was the case inOmanamong theKharijiteorIbadisects. At times, the imams were elected. At other times the position was inherited, as with theYaruba dynastyfrom 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 aFulanistate in West Africa where secular power alternated between two lines of hereditary Imams, oralmami.[38]In theZaidiShiitesect, imams were secular as well as spiritual leaders who held power inYemenfor 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 leaderswere also referred to as "Imams", until that term was retired byIbn Saudto be replaced by "king".
Ruhollah Khomeiniis officially referred to as Imam inIran.Several Iranian places and institutions are named "Imam Khomeini", including acity,aninternational airport,ahospital,and auniversity.
Gallery
editImams
edit-
-
Discourse betweenIslamicImams in theMughal Empire -
Crimean Tatar imams teach theQuran.Lithograph byCarlo Bossoli -
Imam presiding over prayer, North Africa -
Imam Shamil,Caucasus -
Imam in Bosnia,c. 1906 -
Imam Khomeini,leader of theIranian revolution -
An Imam in Omdurman, Sudan -
AnOttomanimam inConstantinople -
ABosniakmilitary imam in the Austro-Hungarian Army -
Imam Thierno Ibrahima Thiello
See also
editNotes
edit- ^The abbreviation CE refers to theCommon Erasolar calendar,while AH refers to the IslamicHijrilunar calendar.
Citations
edit- ^Corbin 1993,p. 30
- ^Dhami, Sangeeta; Sheikh, Aziz (November 2000)."The Muslim family".Western Journal of Medicine.173(5): 352–356.doi:10.1136/ewjm.173.5.352.ISSN0093-0415.PMC1071164.PMID11069879.
- ^"Presidency of Religious Affairs".diyanet.gov.tr.
- ^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 useArabicas 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.
- ^abcdeNasr, Seyyed Hossein."Ali".Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Retrieved2007-10-12.
- ^abcdefghijklMattar, Philip (2004).Encyclopedia of the modern Middle East & North Africa.Detroit, Mich: Macmillan Reference USA.ISBN9780028657691.
- ^Tabatabae (1979), pp.190-192
- ^Tabatabae (1979), p.192
- ^ab"Hasan".Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Retrieved2007-11-08.
- ^Tabatabae (1979), pp.194–195
- ^Madelung, Wilferd."Hasan ibn Ali".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved2008-03-23.
- ^Tabatabae (1979), p.195
- ^abcd"al-Husayn".Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Retrieved2007-11-08.
- ^Tabatabae (1979), pp.196–199
- ^Calmard, Jean."Husayn ibn Ali".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved2008-03-23.
- ^abcdMadelung, Wilferd."'ALĪ B. AL-ḤOSAYN ".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved2007-11-08.
- ^abcdeTabatabae (1979), p.202
- ^abcdeMadelung, Wilferd."AL-BAQER, ABU JAFAR MOHAMMAD".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved2007-11-08.
- ^Tabatabae (1979), p.203
- ^abcdeTabatabae (1979), p.203-204
- ^"Wāṣil ibn ʿAṭāʾ".Encyclopædia Britannica Online.1 January 2019.
- ^abMadelung, Wilferd."'ALĪ AL-HĀDĪ ".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved2007-11-09.
- ^abcdeTabatabae (1979), p.205
- ^Tabatabae (1979) p. 78
- ^Sachedina (1988), pp.53–54
- ^abcdefTabatabae (1979), pp.205–207
- ^abcdeTabatabae (1979), p. 207
- ^abcdefMadelung, Wilferd."'ALĪ AL-HĀDĪ ".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved2007-11-08.
- ^Tabatabae (1979), pp.208–209
- ^abcdHalm, H."'ASKARĪ ".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Retrieved2007-11-08.
- ^Tabatabae (1979) pp. 209–210
- ^Tabatabae (1979), pp.209–210
- ^"Muhammad al-Mahdi al-Hujjah".Encyclopædia Britannica Online.Retrieved2007-11-08.
- ^abcdTabatabae (1979), pp.210–211
- ^Tabatabae (1979), pp. 211–214
- ^Miles, Samuel Barrett(1919).The Countries and Tribes of the Persian Gulf.Garnet Pub. pp. 50, 437.ISBN978-1-873938-56-0.Retrieved2013-11-15.
- ^Holt, P. M.; Holt, Peter Malcolm; Lambton, Ann K. S.; Bernard Lewis (1977-04-21).The Cambridge History of Islam.Cambridge University Press. p. 365.ISBN978-0-521-29137-8.
Works cited
edit- 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.
- Encyclopædia Britannica Onlineby Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
- Encyclopædia Iranica.Center for Iranian Studies, Columbia University. March 1997.ISBN1-56859-050-4.
- 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.
- Tabatabae, Sayyid Mohammad Hosayn(1979).Shi'ite Islam.Translated byNasr, Seyyed Hossein.SUNY press.ISBN0-87395-272-3.
General references
edit- 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.
External links
edit
The dictionary definition ofimamat Wiktionary
Media related toImamsat Wikimedia Commons- Gilman, D. C.;Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Imam".New International Encyclopedia(1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.
