Another question for Muslims......what is the structure of religous leadership?

Question

Does the Imam report to anyone?

do the Mosques tend to be independent?

As an example, the Catholics have a Priest, that reports to a archbishop, then to a Cardinal, etc. Do Muslims have any structure like that?

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE INFO!! I APPRECIATE IT.

Answer 1

unlike christianity, there is no pope or its equivalent in Islam.

Imams don't report to anyone but the people who chose them to lead them. The people of the congregation (mosque) can choose someone else. There is a SHURAH BOARD that meets and decides these things.

I wouldn't quite say mosques are independent, because you can literally walk into one and then another, and be a member of them all.

The only real differences are between the sunni, sufi, and shia Mosques. About 80-90% of the mosques in the world are sunni run (although sufi and SOME shia do attend them as well). In Iraq, you find shia run mosques, in which a sunni could and would never attend, based on the sect of shia there in Iraq being considered apostasy.

The imam is simply the prayer leader, and he gives the friday sermon.

Sheikhs (scholars) are those whose daily job is to study Islam, and they are not considered major scholars unless they have memorized the entire Quran and many Sunnah narrations. Scholars are to be loved, cherished, appreciated, and respected. But they are our "servants," and not put on a pedestal, and if they are in fact arrogant, this counts against them and many people will discount them as scholars any more.

There are four major schools of thought, derived from four historical imams, which sunnis follow. In other words, if a new scholar comes out with something new and opposing to the scholars of the past, it is or should be rejected.

That's pretty much all the structure, check out my source links.

Answer 2

1) Imam is the person who "leads people in a prayer", i.e.: he stands alone while they are in lines behind him. This way they will have a united movement (kneel altogether). Although he recited the Quran and must had some Islamic teachings, it does not make him very knowledgeable.
2) Mosques are places for prayer, they do not have powers.
3) The highest ranking person (in the country) who delivers the "fatwa" called a Mufti by Sunnis and Ayatollah by Shiites. This person is able to answer all queries by Muslims.

Answer 3

No, there are no structures of leadership. The imam is simply a person who leads prayers and sometimes acts as a counselor, the muezzin is simply a person who calls the others for prayer. Yes, the mosques tend to be somewhat independent.

There are scholars that Muslims refer to, they are called ulemas, but they have no power, they are just learned people, which Muslims go to to seek knowledge. Any person can be an ulema by pursuing knowlege. There are councils of ulemas, discussing religious topics. Fatwas are called out by scholars.

Of course, countries and governments have built departments for the propagation of Islamic knowledge and the development of Muslims, and for spreading the word of Allah. My country, a Muslim country, has governmental institution called the Department of Islamic Development. Kings of Muslim countries tend to be Muslim leaders, or representatives of Muslims of the country.



But you need to remember, there is a concept in Islam, which is called "the Muslim Ummah", the nation or brotherhood of Muslims. Muslims are forever united by this concept.

Answer 4

no structure like that. the imam could be anyone who qualifies for being an imam . like knowledge of religion, memorization of the Koran etc,
the one who leads the prayer is the most qualified amongst the ones who are present at the time of the prayer. my point is anyone could lead the prayer if qualified.

Answer 5

no it`s not like that at all ... the Imam leads people during the prays and also tell speeches and lessons about Islam

Answer 6

Then Allah deputised Muhammad (p.b.u.h.a.h.p.) as a witness, giver of good tidings and warner, the best in the universe as a child and the most chaste as a grown up man, the purest of the purified in conduct, the most generous of those who are approached for generosity.

About the Ummayads

This world did not appear sweet to you in its pleasures and you did not secure milk from its udders except after having met it when its nose-rein was trailing and its leather girth was loose. For certain people its unlawful items were like bent branches (laden with fruit) while its lawful items were far away, not available. By Allah, you would find it like a long shade upto a fixed time. So the earth is with you without let or hindrance and your hands in it are extended while the hands of the leaders are held away from you. Your swords are hanging over them while their swords are held away from you.

Beware that for every blood (that is shed) there is an avenger and for every right there is a claimant. The avenger for our blood is like the judge for his own claim, and it is Allah who is such that if one seeks Him, then He does not disappoint him, and one who runs away from Him cannot escape Him. I swear by Allah, O' Banu Umayyah, shortly you will see it (i.e. your possession) in the hands of others and in the house of your enemy. Know that the best looking eye is that whose sight catches virtue and know that the best hearing ear is that which hears good advice and accepts it.

About the functions of the Imams

O' people, secure light from the flame of lamps of the preacher who follows what he preaches and draw water from the spring which has been cleaned of dirt.

O' creatures of Allah, do not rely on your ignorance, do not be obedient to your desires, because he who stays at this place is like one who stays on the brink of a bank undermined by water carrying ruin on his back from one portion to the other following his opinion which he changes (one after the other). He wants to make adhere what cannot adhere and to bring together what cannot keep together. So fear Allah and do not place your complaints before him who cannot redress your grievance, nor undo with his opinion what has been made obligatory for you.

Certainly, there is no obligation on the Imam except what has been devolved on him from Allah, namely to convey warnings, to exert in good advice, to revive the sunnah, to enforce penalties on those liable to them and to issue shares to the deserving. So hasten towards knowledge before its vegetation dries up and before you turn yourselves away from seeking knowledge from those who have it. Desist others from the unlawful and abstain from it yourself, because you have been commanded to abstain (yourself) before abstaining (others).

Answer 7

no
yes

no