Mawlānā

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Maulana (Arabic script مولانا, alternative transcription mawlānā) is an Arabic word literally meaning "our lord" or "our master" (defined in the Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic as "a form of address to a sovereign").

It is used as a title, mostly in Central Asia and in the Indian subcontinent, preceding the name of a respected Muslim religious leader, in particular graduates of religious institutions, e.g. a madrassa or a darul uloom, or scholars who have studied under other Islamic scholars.

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[edit] Other uses

Although the word originated in the Arabic language, it adopted different meanings as it travelled from Arabia to Persia, Turkey, Africa and the Indian subcontinent.

[edit] Persian use

In Iran and Turkey the word normally refers to Rumi (Persian pronunciation Mowlana) (Turkish pronunciation "Mevlana").


[edit] Africa

This word has been borrowed into the Swahili language, where it is used also as a title of respect for revered members of a community, religious or secular, roughly equivalent to the English "Sir". In some circles it is used to refer to Ron Karenga, the Afro-American activist.

In the mostly Muslim region of West Africa, the corrupted forms of the word: Mallam (Hausa language), Maame (Wolof language) are used to denote Islamic scholars, or in areas practising folk Islam or Sufism, a local shaman.

(See also Marabout.)

[edit] Difference in titles Mullah and Maulvi among Muslims in South Asia

In the Central Asian and South Asian (Indian Subcontinent) context, where "Mullah" does not carry a formal sense, Maulana is often the word of choice for addressing or referring to Muslim religious scholars that are respected, while Mullah is used often derogatorily for people the speaker considers to be more rabble-rousers than scholars.

Although the words Maulvi and Maulana are interchanged in the Indian Subcontinent as a title of respect, Maulana is more often associated with formal qualification following study at a Madrassa or Darul Uloom and Maulvi is usually more a general title for religious figures. In Bangladesh, in the government Aliyah madrassa system, Maulvi is also associated with formal degrees for those who have passed the course of Maulvi (basic), Maulvi Alim (intermediate) or Maulvi Fazil (advanced).

[edit] Wahhabi/Salafi objection and its response

[edit] Objection

In past, some Wahhabi and Wahhabi-influenced scholars have objected to the use of 'Maula' and hence 'Maulana' as a title referring to humans, believing that 'Maula' should exclusively be used to refer to God.

[edit] Response

Shia and non-Wahhabi Sunni, as well as the Wahhabi-influenced Ahl-e-Hadeeth of India who also very often use the title, reject this objection on two grounds. First, Maula is not a name of God. Second, they cite a hadith "Man kuntu maulah fa Ali aul Maulah" (Ali is a Maula of whom I am a Maula of). Prophet Muhammed said that after Ali returned from the mission of Ghadar Qum. Shia and Sunni interpret this differently but agree the title can be used to refer to humans.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

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