Allamah
Encyclopedia
An Allamah also spelled Allameh and Allama, is an honorary title carried by only the very highest scholars (marja
s) of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy.
It is used as an honorific in Sunni Islam
as well as in Twelver Shia Islam. Sir Muhammad Iqbal
, architect of modern Pakistan
is referred to, for example, as Allamah Iqbal. Sunnis and Shiites who have achieved the rank of a scholarship in several disciplines are often referred to by the title. Those holding the title "allamah" surpass all other clerics such as ayatollah
s and hojatoleslam
s. Currently, marjas are accorded the title Grand Ayatollah ( Āyatu l-Lāhi l-‘Użmá, Persian Āyatollāh Ozmā).
Marja
Marja , also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini , literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference"...
s) of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy.
It is used as an honorific in Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam. Sunni Muslims are referred to in Arabic as ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah wa āl-Ǧamāʿah or ʾAhl ūs-Sunnah for short; in English, they are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis or Sunnites....
as well as in Twelver Shia Islam. Sir Muhammad Iqbal
Muhammad Iqbal
Sir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
, architect of modern Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
is referred to, for example, as Allamah Iqbal. Sunnis and Shiites who have achieved the rank of a scholarship in several disciplines are often referred to by the title. Those holding the title "allamah" surpass all other clerics such as ayatollah
Ayatollah
Ayatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
s and hojatoleslam
Hojatoleslam
Hujjat al-Islam is an honorific title meaning "authority on Islam" or "proof of Islam", given to Twelver Shī‘ah clerics...
s. Currently, marjas are accorded the title Grand Ayatollah ( Āyatu l-Lāhi l-‘Użmá, Persian Āyatollāh Ozmā).
Notable Allamahs
In any given generation, there are only a few Allamahs. Some of the most famous ones are:- Muhammad IqbalMuhammad IqbalSir Muhammad Iqbal , commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal , was a poet and philosopher born in Sialkot, then in the Punjab Province of British India, now in Pakistan...
- Badrul Alam, SheikhSheikhNot to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
-e Renga - Abdul Latif Chowdhury (Saheb Qibla FultaliSaheb Qibla FultaliAbdul Latif Chowdhury , widely known as Saheb Qiblah Fultali, was an Islamic scholar of theology, philosopher, qira'at/tajweed teacher, murshid/pir, spiritual esotericist, philanthropist, and spiritual leader.-Background:...
) - Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musalyar
- Muhammad Husayn Tabatabaei
- Al-HilliAl-HilliJamal ad-Din Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn 'Ali ibn Muthahhar al-Hilli , also known as al-Allamah al-Hilli , born December 15, 1250 CE , died December 18, 1325, was a Twelver Shia theologian and mujtahid. Known as a Marja , he was one of the greatest Muslim jurists and scholars of his time...
- Muhammad Baqir Majlisi
- Mulla SadraMulla SadraṢadr ad-Dīn Muḥammad Shīrāzī also called Mulla Sadrā was a Persian Shia Islamic philosopher, theologian and ‘Ālim who led the Iranian cultural renaissance in the 17th century...
- Hassan Raza Ghadeeri
- Allama Mashriqi
- Nasim Amrohvi
- Allama Hassan TurabiAllama Hassan TurabiAllama Hassan Turabi was a Pakistani and prominent Shia Muslim cleric, chief of the main Shiite political party, Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan...
- Rasheed Turabi
- Talib Jauhri
- Hamiduddin FarahiHamiduddin FarahiHamiduddin Farahi was a celebrated Islamic scholar of Indian subcontinent known for his groundbreaking work on the concept of Nazm, or Coherence, in the Quran...
- Fida Hussain BukhariFida Hussain BukhariAllama Syed Fida Hussain Bukhari is a religious scholar who completed his studies in Aloom-e-Kharij, Kalam, Falsafa and Fiqh from Islamic University of Qum under the guidance and supervision of grand Ayatollahs. In UK, he frequently delivers speeches and lectures on different TV channels and Radio...
- Muhammad Yousef Gabriel