Marja
Encyclopedia
Marja' (Plural: maraji), also known as a marja-i taqlid or marja dini (Arabic
/Persian
: مرجع تقليد / مرجع ديني), literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference". It is the label provided to Shia authority, a Grand Ayatollah with the authority to make legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law
for followers and less-credentialed clerics. After the Qur'an
and the Prophets
and Imams, marjas are the highest authority on religious laws in Usuli Shia Islam.
/Persian
: آية الله العظمی Ayatollah al-Uthma), however when referring to one, the use of Ayatollah is acceptable. Previously, the titles of Allamah
and Imam
have also been used.
transpires when he becomes a celebrated figure in the hawza
and his students and followers trust him in answering their questions, and ask him to publish his juristic book, the resalah
amaliyah—a manual of practical rulings arranged according to topics dealing with ritual purity, worship, social issues, business, and political affairs. The resalah contains an ayatollah's fatwa
s on different topics, according to his knowledge of the most authentic Islamic sources and their application to current life. Traditionally only the most renowned ayatollahs of the given time published a resalah, while today many ayatollahs of various illustriousness have published one, while some of the renowned ones have refused to do so.
Where a difference in opinion exists between the marjas, each of them provide their own opinion and the Muqallid
will follow his/her own marja's opinion on that subject. A mujtahid, i.e. someone who has completed advanced training (dars kharij) in the hawza and has acquired the license to engage in ijtihad
(ejazaye ijtihad) from one or several ayatollahs, is exempted from the requirement to follow a marja. One should note, however, that ijtihad is not always comprehensive and so a mujtahid may be an expert in one particular area of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh
) and exercise ijtihad therein, but follow a marja in other areas of fiqh.
Several senior Grand Ayatollahs constitute the hawza, a religious institution. The hawza of Qom
and Najaf
are preeminent seminary centers for the training of Shia clergymen. However, there are other smaller hawzas in other cities around the world, such as Karbala
in Iraq
, and Isfahan and Mashhad
in Iran
. There are two Ayatollahs living in west is Ayatollah Hassan Raza Ghadeeri
as well as Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Al-Ansari who lives in Sydney Australia
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
/Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
: مرجع تقليد / مرجع ديني), literally means "Source to Imitate/Follow" or "Religious Reference". It is the label provided to Shia authority, a Grand Ayatollah with the authority to make legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
for followers and less-credentialed clerics. After the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
and the Prophets
Prophets of Islam
Muslims identify the Prophets of Islam as those humans chosen by God and given revelation to deliver to mankind. Muslims believe that every prophet was given a belief to worship God and their respective followers believed it as well...
and Imams, marjas are the highest authority on religious laws in Usuli Shia Islam.
Title
Currently, marjas are accorded the title Grand Ayatollah (ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
/Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
: آية الله العظمی Ayatollah al-Uthma), however when referring to one, the use of Ayatollah is acceptable. Previously, the titles of Allamah
Allamah
An Allamah , also spelled Allameh and Allama, is an honorary title carried by only the very highest scholars of Islamic thought, jurisprudence, and philosophy....
and Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
have also been used.
Authority of marjas
The marja'yiat of an ayatollahAyatollah
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...
transpires when he becomes a celebrated figure in the hawza
Hawza
Hawza or ḥawza ʻilmiyya is a seminary of traditional Islamic school of higher learning. It is a term used mostly by the Shi'a Muslims communities to refer to a traditional Shi'a centre where clerics are trained...
and his students and followers trust him in answering their questions, and ask him to publish his juristic book, the resalah
Resalah
A Resalah , also resalah amaliyah is a book written by a Shia Marja that contains his practical rulings arranged according to topics dealing with ritual purity, worship, social issues, business, and political affairs, and outlining the principles used to derive specific rulings.All resalahs begin...
amaliyah—a manual of practical rulings arranged according to topics dealing with ritual purity, worship, social issues, business, and political affairs. The resalah contains an ayatollah's fatwa
Fatwa
A fatwā in the Islamic faith is a juristic ruling concerning Islamic law issued by an Islamic scholar. In Sunni Islam any fatwā is non-binding, whereas in Shia Islam it could be considered by an individual as binding, depending on his or her relation to the scholar. The person who issues a fatwā...
s on different topics, according to his knowledge of the most authentic Islamic sources and their application to current life. Traditionally only the most renowned ayatollahs of the given time published a resalah, while today many ayatollahs of various illustriousness have published one, while some of the renowned ones have refused to do so.
Where a difference in opinion exists between the marjas, each of them provide their own opinion and the Muqallid
Taqlid
Taqlid or taklid is an Arabic term in Islamic legal terminology connoting "imitation", that is; following the decisions of a religious authority without necessarily examining the scriptural basis or reasoning of that decision, such as accepting and following the verdict of scholars of...
will follow his/her own marja's opinion on that subject. A mujtahid, i.e. someone who has completed advanced training (dars kharij) in the hawza and has acquired the license to engage in ijtihad
Ijtihad
Ijtihad is the making of a decision in Islamic law by personal effort , independently of any school of jurisprudence . as opposed to taqlid, copying or obeying without question....
(ejazaye ijtihad) from one or several ayatollahs, is exempted from the requirement to follow a marja. One should note, however, that ijtihad is not always comprehensive and so a mujtahid may be an expert in one particular area of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
) and exercise ijtihad therein, but follow a marja in other areas of fiqh.
Several senior Grand Ayatollahs constitute the hawza, a religious institution. The hawza of Qom
Qom
Qom is a city in Iran. It lies by road southwest of Tehran and is the capital of Qom Province. At the 2006 census, its population was 957,496, in 241,827 families. It is situated on the banks of the Qom River....
and Najaf
Najaf
Najaf is a city in Iraq about 160 km south of Baghdad. Its estimated population in 2008 is 560,000 people. It is the capital of Najaf Governorate...
are preeminent seminary centers for the training of Shia clergymen. However, there are other smaller hawzas in other cities around the world, such as Karbala
Karbala
Karbala is a city in Iraq, located about southwest of Baghdad. Karbala is the capital of Karbala Governorate, and has an estimated population of 572,300 people ....
in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, and Isfahan and Mashhad
Mashhad
Mashhad , is the second largest city in Iran and one of the holiest cities in the Shia Muslim world. It is also the only major Iranian city with an Arabic name. It is located east of Tehran, at the center of the Razavi Khorasan Province close to the borders of Afghanistan and Turkmenistan. Its...
in Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. There are two Ayatollahs living in west is Ayatollah Hassan Raza Ghadeeri
Ayatollah Hassan Raza Ghadeeri
Ayatollah Hassan Raza Ghadeeri, born 1952 is one of the famous ayatollahs of Pakistan. His father, Mufti Muzammil Hussain Meesmi, was the first Mufti of Punjab.- Biography :...
as well as Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Al-Ansari who lives in Sydney Australia
See also
- List of marjas
- List of Ayatollahs
- Risalah (fiqh)
- Society of Seminary Teachers of QomSociety of Seminary Teachers of QomSociety of Seminary Teachers of Qom , was founded 1961 by the leading Shi'a clerics of Qom to organize religious teachings in the seminaries, and expand the religious teachings in Iran...
- HawzaHawzaHawza or ḥawza ʻilmiyya is a seminary of traditional Islamic school of higher learning. It is a term used mostly by the Shi'a Muslims communities to refer to a traditional Shi'a centre where clerics are trained...
External links
- Slate Magazine's "So you want to be an Ayatollah", explaining how Shiite clerics earn the title