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{{Infobox religious leader|religion=[[Shia Islam]]|name=Grand Ayatollahs or Mujtahid|title=Grand Ayatollah, Ayatollah|image=Grand Ayatollahs.png|caption=A collection of photographs depicting eight prominent Shia Islamic scholars, religious clerics and Grand Ayatollahs [[Hossien Wahid Khorasani]], [[Mousa Shubairi Zanjani]], [[Naser Makarem Shirazi]], [[Abdullah Javadi Amoli]], [[Sayyid Sadiq al-Husseini al-Shirazi]], [[Mohammad Reza Modarresi Yazdi]], [[Mohsen Araki]], [[Hasan Imam|Syed Hasan Imam Rizvi]]}}
[[File:Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Zangipuri with Grand Ayatollah Shahrudi.jpeg|thumb|to the right '''[[Hasan Imam|Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Zangipuri]]''' with to the left '''Grand Ayatollah Shahrudi''']]
[[File:Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Zangipuri with Grand Ayatollah Shirazi, Iran.jpeg|thumb|to the left Grand Ayatollah Shirazi to the right [[Hasan Imam|Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Rizvi]]]]
A '''Mujtahid''' ({{langx|ar|مُجْتَهِد}}, "[[wikt:diligent|diligent]]") is an individual who is qualified to exercise ''ijtihad'' in the evaluation of Islamic law. The female equivalent is a ''mujtahida''. In general ''mujtahids'' must have an extensive knowledge of Arabic, the Qur'an, the [[Sunnah]], and legal theory ([[Usul al-fiqh]]).<ref>{{cite web|title=Mujtahid|url=http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e159|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808052727/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e159|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 8, 2014|work=The Oxford Dictionary of Islam|access-date=1 May 2013}}</ref> Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, due to their divergent beliefs regarding the persistence of divine authority, have different views on ''ijtihad'' and the qualifications required to achieve ''mujtahid''.
[[File:Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Zangipuri with Ayatullah Sadiq Ruhani, Iran.jpeg|thumb|to the left Grand Ayatollah Sadiq Ruhani or Rouhani to the left [[Hasan Imam|Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Rizvi]]]]
[[Shia]] Muslims understand the process of ''ijtihad'' as being the independent effort used to arrive at the rulings of sharia. Following the death of the Prophet and once they had determined the Imam as absent, ''ijtihad'' evolved into a practice of applying careful reason in order to uncover the knowledge of what ''Imams'' would have done in particular legal situations. The decisions the ''Imams'' would have made were explored through the application of the Qur'an, Sunnah, ''ijma'' and ''[['aql]]'' (reason). It was not until the end of the eighteenth century that the title of ''mujtahid'' became associated with the term ''faqih'' or one who is an expert in jurisprudence. From this point on religious courts began to increase in number and the ulama were transformed by Shia Islamic authorities into the new producer of ''ijtihad''.<ref name=Momen>{{cite book|last=Momen|first=Moojan|title=An Introduction to Shia Islam: The History and Doctrines of Twelver Shi'ism|url=https://archive.org/details/introductiontosh0000unse_d5k7|year=1985|publisher=Yale University Press|location=New Haven|page=[https://archive.org/details/introductiontosh0000unse_d5k7/page/186 186]}}</ref> Early Shiite theologians had denounced [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] interpretative tools like ''Ijtihad'' and ''[[Qiyas]]'' (analogical reasoning) citing reports from the [[Shi'a imams|Shi'i Imams]]. They held that ''Ijtihad'' was a deductive process based on personal conjecture to argue that it had no legal basis in the [[Sharia|shari'a]] (Islamic law). Therefore, until the 13th century, the concept of Ijtihad was denounced disparagingly by the Shi'i jurists, who wanted to construct a systematic and stable legal edifice that was devoid of any uncertainty. However, with the passage of time some Shia jurists sensed the need to respond to newer and novel circumstances.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Takim|first=Liyakat|title=Shi'ism Revisited: Ijtihad and Reformation in Contemporary Times|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2022|isbn=9780197606575|location=New York, United States of America|pages=66|chapter=2: Usul al-Fiqh and Ijtihad in Shi'ism|doi=10.1093/oso/9780197606575.001.0001|quote="To further vindicate their practice, the scholars cited traditions from the Imams that denounced Sunni interpretive tools like those of analogical deduction (qiyas) and independent reasoning (ijtihad). The negative stance toward Sunni legal practices was premised on the view that ijtihad was a deductive process based on personal conjecture and therefore had no legal basis in the shari'a. Due to this, the term ijtihad was used in a disparaging way by the Shi'is until the thirteenth century. The denunciation of ijtihad during this period also indicates that Shi'i jurists wanted to construct a legal edifice that was devoid of any doubt or uncertainty. With the passage of time, Shi‛i fuqaha' sensed the need to respond to newer issues and novel circumstances.."}}</ref>
[[File:Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Zangipuri with Grand Ayatollah ul Uzma Iraqi, In Qom Iran.jpeg|thumb|to the left '''Grand Ayatollah ul Uzma Iraqi''' with to the right '''[[Hasan Imam|Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam]],''' In Qom [[Iran]]]]
[[File:Grand Ayatullah Abul Hasan Iraqi and Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Zangipuri.jpeg|thumb|to the left Grand Ayatullah Abul Hasan Iraqi and to the right [[Hasan Imam|Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam]]]]
According to ''Usuli'' scholars, ''Mujtahids'' existed continuously since the 16th century and employed ''Ijtihad'' to form new laws according to altering circumstances.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Mohammad Farzaneh|first=Mateo|title=The Iranian Constitutional Revolution and the Clerical Leadership of Khurasani|publisher=Syracuse University Press|year=2015|isbn=978-0-8156-3388-4|location=Syracuse, New York |page=91}}</ref> From the late 18th century, ''Usuli'' jurists had advocated for appending ''[['Aql]]'' (intellect) as the fourth source of law. This enabled them to issue legal opinions based on societal needs. The ''[[Akhbari]]'' school rejected the idea of human intellect playing any role in legal reasoning.<ref name="Mohammad Farzaneh 2015 6">{{Cite book|last=Mohammad Farzaneh|first=Mateo|title=The Iranian Constitutional Revolution and the Clerical Leadership of Khurasani|publisher=Syracuse University Press|year=2015|isbn=978-0-8156-3388-4|location=Syracuse, New York |page=6}}</ref> In order to produce perceptive ''mujtahids'' that could fulfill this important role, ''Usulis'' developed the [[Usul Fiqh in Ja'fari school|principles of Shia jurisprudence]] (''Usool'') to provide a foundation for scholarly deduction of Islamic law. Shaykh Murtada Ansari<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.al-islam.org/articles/life-and-times-shaykh-murtada-ansari-abbas-jaffer|title=The Life and Times of Shaykh Murtada Ansari|date=January 19, 2013|website=www.al-islam.org}}</ref> and his successors developed the school of Shia law, dividing the legal decisions into four levels of certainty (''qat''), valid conjecture (''zann''), doubt (''shakk''), and erroneous conjecture (''wahm''). These rules allowed ''mujtahids'' to issue adjudications on any subject, that could be derived through this process of ''ijtihad'', demonstrating responsibility to the Shia community.<ref name="Momen" /> Furthermore, according to Shia Islamic Jurisprudence a believer of Islam is either a ''Mujtahid'' (one that expresses their own legal reasoning), or a ''Muqallid'' (one performing taqlid—following or imitating a Mujtahid) and a ''Muhtat'' ("a lay Shiite who does not follow anyone, yet acts on such precaution that assures him the fulfilment of his religious obligations").<ref name="Lost-2017">{{cite web |title=Research Seminar: "Lost in Translation: Taqlid and Marja'iyya in Shiite Islam" |url=https://www.almahdi.edu/research-seminar-lost-in-translation-taqlid-and-marjaiyya-in-shiite-islam/ |website=AlMahdi Institute |access-date=2 September 2022 |date=19 January 2017 |editor= Mohammadreza Kalantari }}</ref><ref name="Jannati-Ijtiahad">{{cite book |last1=Jannati |first1=Muhammad Ibrahim |title=Ijtihad: Its Meaning, Sources, Beginnings and the Practice of Ray |publisher=Al-Islam.org |url=https://www.al-islam.org/al-tawhid/general-al-tawhid/ijtihad-its-meaning-sources-beginnings-practice-ray-jannati/term-ijtihad |access-date=2 September 2022 |chapter=The Term Ijtihad. The Forth Definition of Ijtihad|date=17 March 2013 }}</ref> Most Shia Muslims qualify as ''Muqallid'', and therefore are very dependent on the rulings of the ''Mujtahids''. Therefore, the ''Mujtahids'' must be well prepared to perform ''ijtihad'', as the community of ''Muqallid'' are dependent on their rulings. Not only did Shia Muslims require:
* Knowledge of the texts of the Qur'an and Sunnah
* Justice in matters of public and personal life
* Utmost piety
* Understanding of the cases where Shia ''mujtahids'' reached consensus
* Ability to exercise competence and authority<ref>{{cite web|last=Mutahhari|first=Murtada|title=The Principle of Ijtihad in Islam|date=2 March 2013|url=http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/ijtihad.htm|access-date=1 May 2013}}</ref>

However, these scholars also depended on further training that could be received in religious centers called Hawza. At these centers they are taught the important subjects and technical knowledge a ''mujtahid'' need be proficient in such as:
* Arabic grammar and literature
* Logic
* Extensive knowledge of the Qur'anic sciences and Hadith
* Science of narrators
* Principle of Jurisprudence
* Comparative Jurisprudence<ref name="Principles of Ijtihad in Islam">{{cite web|last=Mutahhari|first=Murtada|title=The Principles of Ijtihad in Islam|date=2 March 2013|url=http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/ijtihad.htm|access-date=1 May 2013}}</ref>

Therefore, Shia ''mujtahids'' remain revered throughout the Shia Islamic world. The relationship between the ''mujtahids'' and ''muqallids'' continues to address and solve the contemporary legal issues. Participating in ijtihad, however, has been cautioned by scholars for those not properly educated in interpretation of the Qu'ran. This is narrated by [[Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin]], the great-grandson of Muhammad, when he cautioned [[Aban ibn abi-Ayyash]], a fellow companion, saying, "Oh brother from 'Abd Qays, if the issue becomes clear to you, then accept it. Otherwise remain silent and defer to Allah because your interpretation from the truth will be as far from the Earth as the sky."<ref>{{cite book |last1=al-Kulayni |first1=Muhammad ibn Ya'qub |title=Al-Kafi |date=2015 |publisher=Islamic Seminary Incorporated |location=NY |isbn=978-0-9914308-6-4 |volume= 6 }}</ref>

== List of Mujtahids ==

# [[Hossien Wahid Khorasani|Grand Ayatollah Hossien Wahid Khorasani]]
# [[Ali al-Sistani|Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani]]
# [[Ali Khamenie|Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenie]]
# [[Bashir al-Najafi|Grand Ayatollah Bashir al-Najafi]]
# [[Hossein Noori Hamedani|Grand Ayatollah Hossein Noori Hamedani]]
# [[Jafar Sobhani|Grand Ayatollah Ja'far Sobhani]]
# [[Sadeq Rohani|Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadeq Rohani]]
# [[Mousa Shubairi Zanjani|Grand Ayatollah Mousa Shubairi Zanjani]]
# [[Naser Makarem Shirazi|Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi]]
# [[Abdullah Javadi Amoli|Grand Ayatollah Abdullah Javadi Amoli]]
# [[Sayyid Sadiq al-Husseini al-Shirazi|Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq al-Husseini al-Shirazi]]
# [[Mohammad Reza Modarresi Yazdi|Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Reza Modarresi Yazdi]]
# [[Mohsen Araki|Grand Ayatollah Mohsen Araki]]
# [[Hasan Imam|Grand Ayatollah Syed Hasan Imam Rizvi]]
# [[Mohammad Rahmati Sirjani|Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Rahmati Sirjani]]
# Grand Ayatollah Hossein Mazaheri
# Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Mohammad Dastgheib Shirazi
# Grand Ayatollah Mirza Yadollah Duzduzani
# Grand Ayatollah Shamsodin Vaezi
# Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Gerami Qomi
# Grand Ayatollah Asadollah Bayat Zanjani
# Grand Ayatollah Ali Asghar Rahimi Azad
# Grand Ayatollah Yasubedin Rastegar Jooybari
# Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Taqi al-Modarresi
# Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Asghar Dastgheib
# Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ahmad Hassani Baghdadi
# Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini Zanjani
# Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Javad Alavi Borujerdi
# Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Amin Mamaqani
# Grand Ayatollah Jawad Khalesi
# Grand Ayatollah Khalil Mobasher Kashani
# Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Husayn Esmaeel al-Sadr
# Grand Ayatollah Fazel Maleki
# Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Kamal al-Haydari
# Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Yaqoobi
# Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Jamil Hammoud al-Amili
# Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Reza Hosseini Nassab
# Grand Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer Movahedi Najafi
# Grand Ayatollah Mohammad al-Sannad

==References==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
* {{cite book|editor-last=Meri|editor-first=Josef W.|title=Medieval Islamic Civilization|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LaV-IGZ8VKIC|volume=2 L-Z, index|year=2006|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-96692-4}}
** {{harvc |last=Newman |first=Andrew J. |c=Shi'i Thought |in=Meri |year=2006}}

==Further reading==
* [[Wael Hallaq]]: "Was the Gate of Ijtihad Closed?", ''International Journal of Middle East Studies'', 16, 1 (1984), 3–41.
* Glassé, Cyril, ''The Concise Encyclopaedia of Islam'', 2nd Edition, Stacey International, London (1991) {{ISBN|0-905743-65-2}}
* [[Ignaz Goldziher|Goldziher, Ignaz]] (translated by A And R Hamori), ''Introduction to Islamic Theology and Law'', Princeton University Press, Princeton New Jersey (1981) {{ISBN|0-691-10099-3}}
* [[Mohammad Hashim Kamali|Kamali, Mohammad Hashim]] ''Principles of Islamic Jurisprudence'', [[Islamic Texts Society]], Cambridge (1991) {{ISBN|0-946621-24-1}}.
* Carlos Martínez, "Limiting the Power of Religion from Within: Probabilism and Ishtihad," in ''Religion and Its Other: Secular and Sacral Concepts and Practices in Interaction''. Edited by Heike Bock, Jörg Feuchter, and Michi Knecht (Frankfurt/M., Campus Verlag, 2008).

==External links==
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20100306143642/http://www.maaref-foundation.com/english/library/beliefs/al_nas_walijtihad/index.htm Ijtihad against the Text]}}
* [http://www.ijtihad.org/ijtihad.htm Two Theories of Ijtihad]
* [http://www.youquran.com/INTRODUCTION-ISLAMIC-LAW-Schacht.PDF An Introduction to Islamic Law by Joseph Schacht]
* [http://www.al-islam.org/al-serat/ijtihad.htm A Detailed Q & A on Ijtihad]
* [http://www.resetdoc.org/story/00000021629 Opening the doors of Ijtihad, essay by Fred Dallmayr on www.resetdoc.org]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sharia terminology]]
[[Category:Hawza]]
[[Category:Islamic philosophy]]
[[Category:Legal interpretation]]
[[Category:Islamic courts and tribunals]]
[[Category:Islamic jurisprudence]]
[[Category:Islamic law]]

Mujtahid - Revision history