Ayatollah

Ayatollah or Ayatollah (Persian آیتالله, Arabic آية الله Ayat Allah, Signs of God " ) is the most important religious title of Twelver Shia ( Imami ) Islam.

Origin

The emergence of the honorary title Ayatollah, an Islamic legal scholar, is founded directly by referring to the Koran: " a sign from God ." It was the first time for al -Hasan ibn Yusuf ibn Ali ibn al - Mukhtar al - Hilli (1250-1325), called al - ʿ awarded Allama ( " the high scholars "). With the beginning of the theological competition between the seminars in Qom and Najaf in the 1930s to have been re- named as the first with the title Ayatollah Haeri Yazdi Abdulkarim in modern times. In the period after the Second World War the title was more widespread.

Training and powers

An Ayatollah normally has decades of theological studies at a Shiite university behind and is in reputation in the Shiite clergy over a Hodschatoleslam, the ( ijtihad ) is authorized by his training for independent legal findings. In this case, no binding method or a solid training pathway exists. Ayatollah Going through recognition of other ayatollahs, ie, by the habitual designation as such. As a Hodschtoleslam is an Ayatollah to ijtihad and authority can issue legal opinions ( fatwas ).

Number and financing

The title will be officially awarded in the distribution area of the Shia. Sunnis do not use the title of ayatollah, as the Sunni clergy is far less institutionalized. Buchta (2004) describes carrier 5000 of this title in Iran, of which only 80 official state offices. Particularly recognized Ayatollah called Grand Ayatollah. The even higher level Marja -e taqlid ( source dt / instance of imitation ) had most recently the 1961 deceased Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi Husain held.

The faithful expect from the Ayatollah in the community in addition to the three functions ( teaching, guidance in religious matters, ceremony) the maintenance of the mosque, financing of schools and other institutions that are covered by direct donations to him - as opposed to Sunni Islam, where the clergy is predominantly funded by the state. The amount of donations varies extremely depending Ayatollah, which is solely dependent on the size of the fan base. Ruhollah Khomeini is said to have received 1978 donations totaling $ 25 million.

Political Ayatollah

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in January 1970 in Najaf held a series of lectures under the title The Islamic State appeared as a booklet. He turned it against the prevailing attitude of the quietist Shiite clerics in political issues, especially his teacher Grand Ayatollah Boroujerdi, and created a justification for the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah most recognized under the political domination in representation of the hidden Imam. Khomeini's views sought a merger of Shiite Islam and the political system ( rule of the clergy: Velayat -e Faqih ), which was designed by the Iranian Revolution on his own person.

In connection with the under - especially omer - Ayatollahs leading reluctantly accepted the appointment of the religious leader of Iran's Khamenei to Ayatollah and the political calculations sprung appointment of Ruhollah Khomeini, the Ayatollah, to achieve his prison exemption under the Shah, are on track title ( Ayatollah, Ayatollah, Marja -e taqlid ) political viewpoints to read.