Imam (; , ; : , ) is an Islamic leadership position. In Shia Islam, the Imams are absolute infallible leaders after the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Shia Muslims consider the term to be only applicable to the members of the Ahl al-Bayt, the family of Muhammad. In Twelver Shi'ism there are The Fourteen Infallibles, twelve of which are Imams. In Sunni Islam, an Imam generally refers to a religious leader, scholar, or the person who leads Muslims in prayer. The position is not necessarily hereditary or divinely appointed. Thus in Sunni Islam, anyone can study the basic Islamic teachings and become an Imam.
Sunni Islam
Sunni Islam does not conceive of the role of imams in the same sense as Shia Islam: an important distinction often overlooked by non-Muslims. In everyday terms, an imam for Sunni Muslims is the person charged with leading formal Islamic prayers (Fard) even in locations besides the mosquewhenever prayer is performed in a group of two or more. The imam leads the worship and the congregation copies his actions. Friday sermons are most often given by an appointed imam. All mosques have an imam to lead the congregational prayerseven though it may sometimes just be a member from the gathered congregation rather than an officially appointed, salaried person. Women cannot be imams when men are present but are allowed to be when no men are present. An imam should be chosen, according to multiple ahadith, based on his knowledge of the Qur'an and Sunnah and his moral character.
Title of scholarly authority Another well-known use of the term is as an honorary title for a recognized religious scholarly authority in Islam. It is especially used for a jurist (faqih) and often for the founders of the four Sunni madhhabs or schools of jurisprudence (fiqh), as well as an authority on Quranic exegesis (tafsir), such as Al-Tabari or Ibn Kathir.
It may also refer to the Muhaddithūn or scholars who created the analytical sciences related to Hadith; due to their scholarly authority, the term may also refer to the heads of Muhammad's family in their generational times.
The position of Imams in Turkey Imams are appointed by the state to work at mosques and they are required to be graduates of an İmam Hatip high school or have a university degree in theology. This is an official position regulated by the Presidency of Religious Affairs in Turkey and only men 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 the Hanafi school of the Sunni sect.
A central figure in an Islamic movement is also called an imam, like Imam Nawawi in Syria.
Shia Islam
In Shia Islam, an imam is not only presented as the man of God par excellence, but as participating fully in the names, attributes, and acts that theology usually reserves for God alone. Imams have a meaning more central to belief, referring to leaders of the community. Twelver and Ismaili Shi'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 called ismah. These leaders must be followed since they are appointed by God.
Twelver Here follows a list of the Twelvers Shia imams:
Number Name(Full/Kunya) Title(Arabic/Turkish)The imam's Arabic titles are used by the majority of Twelver Shia who use Arabic as a liturgical language, including the Usooli, Akhbari, Shaykhi, and to a lesser extent Alawi. Turkish titles are generally used by Alevi, 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. Birth–Death(CE/AH) Importance Birthplace (present day country) Place of death and burial1Ali ibn Abi TalibAbu al-Hassan or Abu al-Husayn or Amir al-Mu'minin(Commander of the Faithful)Birinci Ali600–66123 BH–40Tabatabae (1979), pp.190-192The first imam and successor of Muhammad in Shia Islam; however, the Sunnis acknowledge him as the fourth Caliph as well. He holds a high position in almost all Sufi Muslim orders (Turuq); the members of these orders trace their lineage to Muhammad through him.Mecca, Saudi ArabiaAssassinated by Abd-al-Rahman ibn Muljam, a Kharijite in Kufa, who slashed him with a poisoned sword.Tabatabae (1979), p.192 Buried at the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf, Iraq.2Hassan ibn AliAbu Muhammadal-Mujtabaİkinci Ali624–670 3–50Tabatabae (1979), pp.194–195He was the eldest surviving grandson of Muhammad through Muhammad's daughter, Fatimah Zahra. Hasan succeeded his father as the caliph in Kufa, and on the basis of peace treaty with Muawiya I, he relinquished control of Iraq following a reign of seven months.Medina, Saudi ArabiaPoisoned by his wife in Medina, Saudi Arabia.Tabatabae (1979), p.195 Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.3Husayn ibn AliAbu AbdillahSayed al-ShuhadaÜçüncü Ali626–680 4–61Tabatabae (1979), pp.196–199He was a grandson of Muhammad. Husayn opposed the validity of Caliph Yazid I. As a result, he and his family were later killed in the Battle of Karbala by Yazid's forces. After this incident, the commemoration of Husayn ibn Ali has become a central ritual in Shia identity.Medina, Saudi ArabiaKilled on Day of Ashura (10 Muharram) and beheaded at the Battle of Karbala. Buried at the Imam Husayn Shrine in Karbala, Iraq.4Ali ibn al-HusseinAbu Muhammadal-Sajjad, Zain al-Abedin Dördüncü Ali658–9 – 712Tabatabae (1979), p.202 38–95Author of prayers in Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, which is known as "The Psalm of the Household of the Prophet."Medina, Saudi ArabiaAccording to most Shia scholars, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph al-Walid I in Medina, Saudi Arabia. Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.5Muhammad ibn AliAbu Ja'faral-Baqir al-Ulum (splitting open knowledge) Beşinci Ali 677–732 57–114Sunni and Shia sources both describe him as one of the early and most eminent legal scholars, teaching many students during his tenure.Tabatabae (1979), p.203Medina, Saudi ArabiaAccording to some Shia scholars, he was poisoned by Ibrahim ibn Walid ibn 'Abdallah in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the order of Caliph Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik. Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.6Ja'far ibn MuhammadAbu Abdillahal-SadiqTabatabae (1979), p.203-204 (the Trustworthy) Altıncı Ali 702–765 83–148Established the Ja'fari jurisprudence and developed the Theology of Shia. He instructed many scholars in different fields, including Abu Hanifah and Malik ibn Anas in fiqh, Wasil ibn Ata and Hisham ibn Hakam in Islamic theology, and Jābir ibn Hayyān in science and alchemy.Medina, Saudi ArabiaAccording to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Medina, Saudi Arabia on the order of Caliph Al-Mansur. Buried in Jannat al-Baqi.7Musa ibn Ja'farAbu al-Hassan Ial-KazimTabatabae (1979), p.205 Yedinci Ali744–799 128–183Leader of the Shia community during the schism of Ismaili and other branches after the death of the former imam, Jafar al-Sadiq.Tabatabae (1979) p. 78 He established the network of agents who collected khums in the Shia community of the Middle East and the Greater Khorasan.Sachedina (1988), pp.53–54Medina, Saudi ArabiaImprisoned and poisoned in Baghdad, Iraq on the order of Caliph Harun al-Rashid. Buried in the Kazimayn shrine in Baghdad.8Ali ibn Musaal-Rida, RezaTabatabae (1979), pp.205–207 Sekizinci Ali765–818 148–203Made crown-prince by Caliph Al-Ma'mun, and famous for his discussions with both Muslim and non-Muslim religious scholars.Medina, Saudi ArabiaHe was poisoned by the order of Caliph Al-Ma'mun. Buried in the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Iran.9Muhammad ibn AliAbu Ja'faral-Taqi, al-JawadTabatabae (1979), p. 207 Dokuzuncu Ali810–835 195–220Famous for his generosity and piety in the face of persecution by the Abbasid caliphate.Medina, Saudi ArabiaPoisoned by his wife, Al-Ma'mun's daughter, in Baghdad, Iraq on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tasim. Buried in the Kazmain shrine in Baghdad.10Ali ibn MuhammadAbu al-Hassan IIIal-Hadi, al-Naqi Onuncu Ali827–868 212–254Strengthened the network of deputies in the Shia community. He sent them instructions, and received in turn financial contributions of the faithful from the khums and religious vows.Surayya, a village near Medina, Saudi ArabiaAccording to Shia sources, he was poisoned in Samarra, Iraq on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tazz.Tabatabae (1979), pp.208–209 Buried in the Al Askari Mosque in Samarra.11Hassan ibn AliAbu Muhammadal-Askari Onbirinci Ali846–874 232–260For 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.Tabatabae (1979) pp. 209–210Medina, Saudi ArabiaAccording to Shia, he was poisoned on the order of Caliph Al-Mu'tamid in Samarra, Iraq. Buried in Al Askari Mosque in Samarra.Tabatabae (1979), pp.209–21012Muhammad ibn al-HassanAbu al-Qasimal-Mahdi, Hidden Imam, al-Hujjah Onikinci Ali868–unknownTabatabae (1979), pp.210–211 255–unknownAccording to Twelver doctrine, he is the current imam and the promised Mahdi, a messianic figure who will return with Isa (Jesus). He will reestablish the rightful governance of Islam and replete the earth with justice and peace.Tabatabae (1979), pp. 211–214Samarra, IraqAccording to Shia doctrine, he has been living in the Occultation since 872, which shall continue as long as God wills it.
Fatimah, also Fatimah al-Zahraa, daughter of Muhammed (615–632), is also considered infallible but not an Imam. Shia Muslims believe that the last Imam, the 12th Imam Mahdi will emerge on the Day of Resurrection (Qiyamah). The title was also used by the Zaidi Shia imams of Yemen, who eventually founded the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1970).
Ismaili See Imamah (Ismaili doctrine) and List of Ismaili imams for Ismaili imams.
Zaidi See details under Zaidiyyah, Islamic history of Yemen and imams of Yemen.
Imams as secular rulers At times, imams have held both secular and religious authority. This was the case in Oman among the Kharijite or Ibadi sects. At times, the imams were elected. At other times the position was inherited, as with the Yaruba dynasty from 1624 and 1742. See List of rulers of Oman, the Rustamid dynasty: 776–909, Nabhani dynasty: 1154–1624, the Yaruba dynasty: 1624–1742, the Al Said: 1744–present for further information. The Imamate of Futa Jallon (1727–1896) was a Fulani state in West Africa where secular power alternated between two lines of hereditary imams, or almami. In the Zaidi Shiite sect, imams were secular as well as spiritual leaders who held power in Yemen for 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 under Zaidiyyah, History of Yemen, Imams of Yemen).https://minorityrights.org/communities/zaydi-shia/
Ruhollah Khomeini is officially referred to as imam in Iran. Several Iranian places and institutions are named "Imam Khomeini", including a city, an international airport, a hospital, and a university.
Gallery
Imams
See also Ayatollah Imam of Friday Prayer Imamate Mufti Twelver Shia holy days Seghatoleslam Mohyeddin
Notes
Citations
Works cited
Encyclopædia Britannica Online by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
General references
External links