Ayatollah

Ayatollah (Arabic language: آية الله; Persian language: آیت‌الله) is a high title given to major Shi'a Islam clergymen. The word means 'sign of God', and those who carry the title are experts in Islamic sciences such as jurisprudence, ethics, philosophy and mysticism, and usually teach in schools (''hawza'') of Islamic sciences. A handful of the most important Ayatollahs are accorded the title Grand Ayatollah (''ayat ullahi 'l-`udhma''), or ''Marja al-taqlid'' ("object of emulation"). There is usually only one Grand Ayatollah in Iraq and a few in Iran. There are six living Grand Ayatollahs: Ali Khamenei, Ali al-Sistani, Sayyid Ali, Kazem al-Haeri, Muhammad Fazel Lankarani and Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi. When Western people say 'the Ayatollah', they usually mean Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who brought the word into the international limelight during the 1979 Iranian Revolution; a possible secondary meaning would be the term's use to indicate the serving Supreme Leader of Iran. ''See also'': List of Ayatollahs ==External links== *[http://slate.msn.com/id/2098364/ Slate Magazine's "So you want to be an Ayatollah"], explaining how Shiite clerics earn the title Ayatollahs Religious leaders Titles

Ayatollah

This page says there are 6 living Grand Ayatollahs, but Qom lists 15. One must be incorrect... ==6?== Ali al-Sistani's full name is Sayyid Ali Husaini Sistani. . . . There is also a Grand Ayatollah named Sayyid Ali, but it redirects to Ali al-Sistani. - User:68.23.103.58 03:25, 21 May 2005 (UTC)

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A

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Words begining with Ayatollah:

Ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollahs
Ayatollah_al-Shirazi
Ayatollah_Ali_al-Sistani
Ayatollah_Ali_Khameini
Ayatollah_Ali_Khamenei
Ayatollah_Ali_Sistani
Ayatollah_Fazil_Linkarani
Ayatollah_Hossein-Ali_Montazeri
Ayatollah_Kashani
Ayatollah_Khamenei
Ayatollah_Khomeini
Ayatollah_Khomeni
Ayatollah_Mohammad_Beheshti
Ayatollah_Mohammed_Baqir_al-Hakim
Ayatollah_Mohammed_Baqr_al-Hakim
Ayatollah_Montazeri
Ayatollah_Morteza_Motahari
Ayatollah_Morteza_Motahhari
Ayatollah_Motahari
Ayatollah_Motahhari
Ayatollah_Ruhollah_Khomeini
Ayatollah_Ruholla_Khomeini
Ayatollah_Sadiq_Sherazi
Ayatollah_Sayed_Mohamad_Baqir_Al-Hakim
Ayatollah_Sayed_Muhsin_al-Hakim
Ayatollah_Sayyed_Ali_Khamenei
Ayatollah_Sheikh_Mohammad_Taqi_Behjat
Ayatollah_Sistani