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Middle Eastern Titles: A Glossary

Chris SuellentropPosted Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001, at 6:31 PM ET

Middle Eastern and central Asian countries use a variety of honorific titles. What do they mean, and what are the differences among them? Here's a short guide.

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Ayatollah: From the Arabic ayat Allah, meaning "sign of God," a high-ranking Twelver Shiite religious authority. In Iran, it refers to the nation's political and religious leader. Generally not used by Shiites in Arab countries or in India.

Emir: Also Amir. Leader or commander. Amir-ul Momineen means "commander of the faithful." In the 10^th century, the amirs were Turkish army officers who seized power in Iraq, Iran, and central Asia. Emir can also be used as the Arabic equivalent of "prince."

Imam: Shiite Muslims use imam for Muhammad's descendants, whom they believe to be the true rulers of Islam. For Sunni Muslims, imam means "prayer leader."

Mufti: A Muslim scholar who interprets Islamic law. Only a mufti can issue a fatwa, a formal ruling on a matter of Islamic law.

Mullah: The definition can vary regionally. For Afghanistan, Ahmed Rashid's Taliban defines it as the traditional prayer leader at a local mosque.

Shah: Formerly the title for Iran's hereditary monarch. A title for the Persian emperor was shah-en-shah, or "king of kings."

Sheikh: An elder or religious leader; a wise person.

In addition, news organizations often refer to Muslim leaders as clerics, which is an English word for "members of the clergy." Click here for a glossary of Islam, or click here for a discussion of the meaning of the word "Arab."

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Explainer thanks The Battle for God and Islam: A Short History by Karen Armstrong; Taliban by Ahmed Rashid; Dictionary.com; Encarta Online; the Encyclopaedia of the Orient; and the Islamic glossaries provided by Michigan State University, the University of Southern California, Al-Islam.com, Al-Islam.org, and Islam.com.