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imam

(Encyclopedia)imam ĭmämˈ [key] [Arab.,=leader], in Islam, a recognized leader or a religious teacher. Among the Sunni the term refers to the leader in the Friday prayer at the mosque; any pious Muslim may functi...

Bandar-e Imam Khomeini

(Encyclopedia)Bandar-e Imam Khomeini ēˈmäm khōˌmānēˈ [key], town, Khuzestan prov., SW Iran,...

Ismailis

(Encyclopedia)Ismailis ĭsmäēlˈēz [key], Muslim Shiite sect that holds Ismail, the son of Jafar as-Sadiq, as its imam. On the death of the sixth imam of the Shiites, Jafar as-Sadiq (d. 765), the majority of Shi...

Shiites

(Encyclopedia)Shiites shēˈītz [key] [Arab., shiat Ali,=the party of Ali], the second largest branch of Islam, Shiites currently account for 10%–15% of all Muslims. Shiite Islam originated as a political moveme...

Mashhad

(Encyclopedia)Mashhad mäsh-hädˈ [key], city (1991 pop. 1,759,155), capital of Razavi Khorasan prov., NE Iran. It is an industrial and trade center and a transportation hub. Manufactures include carpets, textiles...

Mohammadi, Narges

(Encyclopedia)Narges Mohammadi, 1972– , b. Zanjan, Iran, Iranian human rights activist and author, studied at Imam Khomeini International University, also known as ...

Gunib

(Encyclopedia)Gunib go͞onyēpˈ [key], village, SE European Russia, in Dagestan. Now a mountain resort in the North Caucasus, it was historically important as a natural fortress during the Caucasian wars of the 19...

Kadyrov, Ramzan Akhmadovich

(Encyclopedia)Kadyrov, Ramzan Akhmadovich, 1976–, Chechen rebel and political leader. The son of assassinated (2004) Chechnya president Akhmad Kadyrov, he was a guerilla leader in the first Chechen war (1994–96...

Ibn Hanbal, Ahmad

(Encyclopedia)Ibn Hanbal, Ahmad äˈməd ĭbˈən hănˈbăl [key], 780–855, Muslim jurist and theologian. His disciples founded the fourth of the four major Sunni schools of jurisprudence, the Hanbali. Ibn Hanba...

Mahdi

(Encyclopedia)Mahdi mäˈdē [key] [Arab.,=he who is divinely guided], in Sunni Islam, the restorer of the faith. He will appear at the end of time to restore justice on earth and establish universal Islam. The Mah...

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