A Grand Ayatollah is often seen as a spiritual guide and mentor to millions of Shia Muslims. His influence extends beyond the mosque and into the social and political arenas.

The son of a cleric from the holy city of Mashhad, Ayatollah Khamenei was known as something of an open-minded mullah, if not exactly liberal. He had a good singing voice; played the tar, a traditional Iranian stringed instrument; and wrote poetry.

An ayatollah (UK: / ˌaɪəˈtɒlə / or US: / ˌaɪəˈtoʊlə /; Persian: آيت‌الله, romanized: āyatullāh, from Arabic: آية الله, romanized: ʾāyatu llāh "Sign of God") or ayatullah is a high-ranking Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah cleric.

An Ayatollah is primarily a senior religious scholar trained in Islamic law and theology. Iran’s system transformed this clerical authority into political leadership, whereas in many other Shia societies, Ayatollahs continue to function mainly as religious guides rather than political rulers.

The title of ayatollah, which means sign of God, is given to Shi'a clerics who have amassed many followers and become experts in religious, ethical, philosophical, and jurisprudence matters. It is the highest rank of Shi'a theologians.

The meaning of AYATOLLAH is a religious leader among Shiite Muslims —used as a title of respect especially for one who is not an imam.

A Grand Ayatollah is often seen as a spiritual guide and mentor to millions of Shia Muslims. His influence extends beyond the mosque and into the social and political arenas.

Official website of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei featuring latest news, speeches, messages, photos, videos and articles.

Etymology and Definition Linguistic Origins The term Ayatollah derives from the Arabic compound phrase āyat Allāh (آية الله), literally meaning "sign of God" or "miracle of God."

In 1340 /1922, when Shaykh 'Abd al-Karim Ha'iri established the Islamic seminary of Qom as the center of Shi'a Islamic studies, several great scholars who gathered there were referred to with the title "ayatollah".