Maulana
Maulana (مولانا) 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 mostly used as a title preceding the name of a respected 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. Although the word originated in the Arabic language, it adopted this meaning in the Indian subcontinent where the title is most widespread (along with Maulvi, which is a Persian word with a similar meaning). This word has been borrowed into the
Swahili language, where it is used also as a title of respect reserved for
Islamic scholars or
Ulema (plural of
Aalim) who are knowledgeable about
Islam. In most of the rest of the Muslim world, including the subcontinent,
Sheikh is a more common title for
ulema. It is often also used for people who are respected for their depth of knowledge (for example
Maulana Maududi, who wasn't a graduate of any Islamic school and did not study under any scholar in much detail) or for their
piety or service to the community (for example
Maulana Edhi, the Pakistani philanthropist and charity worker). A few individuals object to the use of 'Maulana' as a title referring to humans, believing that 'Maulana' should exclusively be used to refer to God. Religious scholars, however, give no credence to this argument, as it has no juristic foundation.
*
Sheikh*
Mullah*
Maulvi*
Islamic term*
Islam Way Online - Your Religion and Spirituality Portal Web portal for Maulana Faizani, a traditional Afghan Maulana
