Maraji (plural of marja) are the supreme legal authority followed by Twelver Shia Muslims, also known as Imamiyyah, around the world. The concept of a Marja al-taqlid () is central to Usuli Shi'a Islam. Marja al-taqlid provides religious interpretations on matters of law and rituals. Ideally, the most just and knowledgeable specialists in the field of Islamic law become recognized as the marja-i taqlid. In practice, this rarely happens and there are several marja al-taqlid whom an individual may choose to emulate.Lara Deeb, An Enchanted Modern: Gender and Public Piety in Shi'i Lebanon, Princeton University Press, pp.69-70Michael W. Suleiman,Arabs in America: Building a New Future, p.55, Temple University Press
Clerics who reach the apex of Shi'a theological hierarchy, in centers of learning, become marja-i taqlids.Linda S. Walbridge, The Most Learned of the Shiʻa: The Institution of the Marjaʻ Taqlid, Oxford University Press, p.217 Approximately since 1940, marja-i taqlids are often referred to by their followers with the honorific of Ayatollah al-`Uzma (, where "ayatollah" means "sign of God"). Among the responsibilities of marja-i taqlids are the collection and distribution of religious taxes, such as zakat and khums.
Current
NoImageNameBirth yearCEThe abbreviation CE refers to the Common Era solar calendar, while AH refers to the Islamic Hijri lunar calendar.Birth placeResidenceNotes1 Hossein Wahid Khorasani Nishapur, Qajar Iran Qom, Iran Official Website2 Hossein Noori Hamedani Hamadan, Qajar Iran Qom, Iran Official Website 3 Naser Makarem Shirazi Shiraz, Imperial State of Iran Qom, Iran Official Website 4 Mohammad Rahmati Sirjani Sirjan, Imperial State of Iran Qom, Iran Official Website 5 Ja‘far Sobhani Tabriz, Islamic republic of Iran Qom, Iran Official Website6 Sayyid Ali Husayni Sistani Mashhad, Islamic republic of Iran Najaf, Iraq Official Website7 Muhammad Taqi Majlesi Isfahani Isfahan, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website 8 Abdollah Javadi-Amoli Amol, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website9 Hossein Mazaheri Isfahan, Islamic republic of Iran Isfahan, Iran Official Website 10 Sayyid Ali Mohammad Dastgheib Shirazi Shiraz, Islamic republic of Iran Shiraz, Iran Official Website 11 Mirza Yadollah Duzduzani Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website 12 Shamsodin Vaezi Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 13 Mohammad Ali Gerami Qomi Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website 14 Sayyid Kazim Hussaini al-Haeri Kingdom of Iraq Iran Official Website Has officially resigned as Marja15 Ali Asghar Rahimi Azad Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website 16 Sheikh Yasubedin Rastegar Jooybari Juybar, Islamic republic of Iran Qom, Iran Official Website17 Mohammad Mohammad Taher Aleshobair Khaqani Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 18 Sheikh Khalil Qudsi Mehr Tabrezi Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official website 19 Sayyid Sadiq Hussaini Shirazi Karbala, Kingdom of Iraq Qom, Iran Official Website 20 Asadollah Bayyat Zanjani Zanjan, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website21 Dosti Zanjani Islamic republic of Iran Qom, Iran Official Website 22 Ali Karimi Jahromi Jahrom, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website23 Bashir Hussain Najafi Jalandhar, British India Najaf, Iraq Official Website 24Sheikh Noori Hatim Saadi Kingdom of Iraq Iraq -25 Sayyid Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi Karbala, Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 26 Sayyid Ali Asghar Dastgheib Shiraz, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website27 Sayyid Ahmad Hassani Baghdadi Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 28 Sayyid Allaedin Ghoraifi Baghdad, Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 29 Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini Zanjani Qom, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website 30 Saleh Taei Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 31 Ali Al-Saleh Kuwait Kuwait -32 Seyed Javad Alavi Borujerdi Qom, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website33 Mohammad Amin Mamaqani Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Biography Official Website34 Kingdom of Iraq Iraq -35 Khalil Mobasher Kashani Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website 36 Sayyid Husayn Esmaeel al-Sadr Baghdad, Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 37 Fazel Maleki Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 38 Sayyid Ali Hassani Baghdadi Kingdom of Iraq Iraq Official Website 39 Seyed Mohammad Yasrebi Qom, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website 40 Sayyid Kamal al-Haydari Karbala, Kingdom of Iraq Iran Official Website 41 Sayyid Mohammad Hadi Ghazanfari Khansari Islamic republic of Iran Iran Biography42Sayyid Muhsin Hojjat Kabuli Kingdom of Afghanistan Afghanistan Official Website 43 Sabzevar, Islamic republic of Iran Iran Official Website44 Mohammad Jamil Hammoud al-Amili Beirut, Lebanon Lebanon Official website45 Mohammad Yaqoobi Najaf, Iraqi Republic (1958–1968) Najaf, Iraq Official Website 46 Sayyid Reza Hosseini Nassab Yazd, Islamic republic of Iran Canada Official Website Islamopedia Ayatollah Hosseini Nassab. 47 Mohammad Baqer Movahedi Najafi Iraqi Republic (1958–1968) Iran Official Website48 Bahrain Iraq Official Website
See also List of deceased maraji Marja Ijtihad Ayatollah List of ayatollahs List of hujjatul Islams
References
External links Prominent Ulamaa, prior to 100 years Comprehensive List of Ulamaa / Jurists & their books ' An Extract from A Shiite Encyclopedia - Hasan Amini Ulamaa Biographies (Jafariyanews.com) Introduction to Scholars 5th / 11th century (al-islam.org) Scholars Info (Playandlearn.org) ar:قائمة مراجع الشيعة ur:شیعہ مراجع کی فہرست