Imam (Arabic: إمام ,Persian: امام ) is an Arabic word meaning "Leader". The ruler of a country might be called the Imam, for example. However, the capitalized term or The Imam (Arabic: الإمام) has important connotations in the Islamic tradition especially in Shia Beliefs. It is also a Honorific title, for example Imam Abu Hanifa could be arguably translated as "The honorable/leader father of Hanifa"

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Prayer Leader

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The common everyday use of the word is for a person leading the Muslim congregational prayers, salah. In this meaning the imam is not required to be a cleric.

Clerical "Imams"

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Shi'a "Imams"

In the Shi'a context, Imam has a meaning more central to belief.

The Shi'a believe that The Imam is someone who is able to lead mankind in all aspects of life. In addition they believe that an Imam is a perfect example in everything. According to Shi'a, an Imam is a leader that must be followed since he is appointed by Allah (God).

Beside from the concept of Imamah, some twelver Shi'a honour Ayatollah Khomeini with the title "Imam", while others twelvers object to that use, arguing that the twelver conotation makes it wrong to give the title to somone else while the twelf Imam, Imam Mahdi is the current Imam.

Sunni "Imams"

The term is also used for a recognized religious leader or teacher in Islam, often for the founding scholars of the four Sunni madhhabs, or schools of religious jurisprudence (fiqh). For example, Imam Abu Hanifa. Or the Imams of the sciences related to Hadith such as Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim, Imam Abu Dawood ^*. Or the heads of the Prophet's descendants in their times such as Imam Ali, Imam Hasan, Imam Hussein, and Imam Jafar Sadiq. In other words, "Imam Ali" is a phrase used by both Shi'a and Sunni, although used with different conotations.

The Sunni sect does not have Imam's as does the Shi'a sect do. The Imam in the Sunni sect of Islam is the leader of prayers, the sermon is most often given by the Sheikh. So it is not Imam Bukhari, Imam Muslim,...and so on. Its Sheikh Bukhari and Sheikh Muslim....and so on.

See also

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• Shia Imam
• Women as imams

External links

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• The Shia Islamic Guide / Imam Stories (shiacode.com)
• Detailed description of the Shiite belief
• Graphical illustration of the Shia sects

Islam | Imams | Arabic words | Titles of national or ethnic leadership

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