atabitaraf
Key Member
- Joined
- May 19, 2010
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- Persian
- Home Country
- Iran
- Current Location
- Iran
Hello, I wanted to ask you, native English people, what do you call a Muslim priest? They wear like this.
Thank you!
I don't think imams and mullas are what you'd normally call priests. They're closer to Protestant pastors I believe.
It seems to me that atabitaraf's 'muslim priest' is what many non-muslims might use in such a question.
I don't dispute what you say.That doesn't make it correct though, in my opinion. A priest is a medium of intercourse between a god and the god's worshippers. He or she is sacred, set apart from among the worshippers to have a special relationship with the god, which usually involves the god manifesting his or her power though the priest. For example, the ancient priests divined, and the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox priests absolve the faithful from their sins. I know little about Islam, but, as far as I know, that is not the case with imams or mullas.
I agree, though the question could be better too. I wasn't contesting the fact that atabitaraf had managed to ask a question good enough to get an answer that was good enough too. I just thought it was worth pointing out that there had been imprecision in the whole process.I don't dispute what you say.
If a member wrote, "An imam is a muslim priest", then you would be justified in correcting that statement. charlie's response, post #2 needed correction.
However, as charliedeut and I have suggested, the OP's "I wanted to ask you, native English people, what do you call a Muslim priest?" is a reasonable question for a non-muslim to ask. If charlie had worded his response as I suggest below, then there would have been no problem:
"Imam is the name given to the closest muslim equivalent to priests."
You are muslim. Use the word that is acceptable to you. We non-muslims might use an inappropriate word.Thank you all, but you see a Muslim priest in this shape, what do you call him?
My question is that in political essays what do you call a common religious leader in this shape?
Almost no one in the West knows that a Shiite imam and a Sunni imam are completely different things. My understanding was that there was only one Imam in Shia Islam who is currently in occultation.Thank you all, but you see a Muslim priest in this shape, what do you call him?
I am from Iran and it's clear nearly everyone here (98%) is Muslim as am I
Imam is used for great religious leaders as you can call Imam Khomeini, the great leader during the Revolution against the last deposed dictator.
Mullah or mollah are good words but here have a negative potential we use it when we want to criticize them or for fun! Please be careful they may get hurt hearing Mullah! :lol:
Ayatollah is another word I expected at the beginning but I didn't want to make a preview affecting your own opinion. But it is used for great religious leaders below Imam.
My question is that in political essays what do you call a common religious leader in this shape?
I'm afraid it becomes a cultural thread but I like it since some teachers believe culture could be considered the fifth skill for learning a language.Almost no one in the West knows that a Shiite imam and a Sunni imam are completely different things. My understanding was that there was only one Imam in Shia Islam who is currently in occultation.
Who is you audience? "Mullah" would be acceptable for most Westerners.
What about "teacher"?
the only meaning I knew for imam was that he was the person who did the call to prayer from the top of a mosque. I may be completely wrong about that!
That doesn't make it correct though, in my opinion. A priest is a medium of intercourse between a god and the god's worshippers. He or she is sacred, set apart from among the worshippers to have a special relationship with the god, which usually involves the god manifesting his or her power though the priest. For example, the ancient priests divined, and the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox priests absolve the faithful from their sins. I know little about Islam, but, as far as I know, that is not the case with imams or mullas.
Hello, I wanted to ask you, native English people, what do you call a Muslim priest?