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Ayatollah is the highest rank of Shia theologians, earned through studying, teaching, and gathering followers. It is not conferred officially, and there are no set requirements. Ayatollahs can issue edicts and teach in seminaries, and may become grand ayatollahs through a formal process. Sunni Islam does not have ayatollahs, but has religious titles like Mufti.
The title of ayatollah, which means sign of God, is given to Shia clerics who have amassed many followers and have become experts in religious, ethical, philosophical and jurisprudential matters. It is the highest rank of Shia theologians. Ayatollahs do not exist in the Sunni Islamic sect; Sunni Islam does not have a formal religious hierarchy like Shia, but they too have religious titles like Mufti.
To become an ayatollah, a Shia cleric must study the Quran and Islam for many years. The title is not conferred officially, and the Islamic faith has not established any requirements that a cleric must meet before becoming an ayatollah. Instead, the title is earned by studying, teaching and preaching over a long period of time and also by gathering followers and earning the respect of other Shia clerics.
An aspiring cleric usually begins by studying theology, science, law, and philosophy in a Shia holy city. After a few years of study, the cleric will begin lecturing on his interpretations of the Koran and other Islamic texts. Later, he will probably write books on religious subjects and hopefully his fame will spread. He or she may become regarded as a marja’ at-taqlid, which means “a source of emulation.” After a while, the aspiring cleric will ideally have many followers, known as a muqallid, and will be considered an ayatollah. While most are men, some women have become ayatollahs.
Once a cleric has become an ayatollah, he is considered qualified to issue edicts originating from the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijmāˤ and Aql, which are the source of the religious laws of Shia Muslims. They can also teach in hawzas, which are traditional Shiite seminaries. An ayatollah may also be called upon to act as a judge or referent in religious matters.
An ayatollah could possibly be considered a grand ayatollah or Ayatollah Ozma, which means “great sign of God”. This is done somewhat more formally than the typical conferment of title. In this process, a council of Shia elders decides that an ayatollah should be considered a grand ayatollah. This process is typically initiated after he or she has become generally accepted as a reference for religious matters and has written one or more highly cited books on Islam. After that, he will be considered one of the foremost experts in Islamic matters, surpassed only by the Koran, the Prophets and the Imams.
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