Ayatollah

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ayatollah

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the etymological meaning?Arabic for 'Sign of God'
2. What is the primary denomination?Twelver Shia Islam
3. What does the title "Ayatollah" mean?It means "Sign of God" and is a special title for very wise religious leaders in Twelver Shia Islam.
4. How did the title "Ayatollah" become more common after 1979?After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, the title was used for more people, including many scholars, and later even for students who passed exams, so many thousands have the title.

Twelver Shia Islam: The predominant branch of Shia Islam, adhering to the lineage of twelve divinely appointed Imams.
Marja' al-taqlid: A supreme jurisprudent in Shia Islam whose interpretations of Islamic law are followed by adherents.
Mujtahid: An Islamic scholar possessing the qualifications to exercise independent reasoning in legal matters.
Hawza: A traditional Islamic seminary or religious school in Shia Islam.