Marja'

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Marja' (Arabic: مرجع, romanized: marjiʿ ; plural marājiʿ ; lit. 'source to follow' or 'religious reference') is a title given to the highest level of Twelver Shia religious cleric, with the authority given by a hawzah (a seminary where Shi'a Muslim scholars are educated) to make legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law for followers and clerics below him in rank. The highest ranking marjiʿ is known as the marja al-mutlaq or marja al-taqlid al-mutlaq.^{[1][2][note 1]} A marji' is also, or usually is also,^[3] a grand ayatollah.

Sources differ as to when the institution of the marja˓ emerged, with Murtadha al-Ansari (died 1864)^[2] and Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (died 940 or 941)^[4] both being called the first marja'.

As of 2023 there are approximately over 50 living maraji, almost all residing in Iran or Iraq.

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