Aalim facts for kids

Aalim (pronounced AH-lim) is an Arabic word that means "scholar." In Sunni Islam, an Aalim is a person who has studied and understands the religious teachings of Islam. These scholars help protect and explain important religious knowledge.

Aalims (the plural is Ulama) usually get their education in special religious schools called madrasas. Traditionally, when a student finished their studies, their teacher would accept them. This meant the student was allowed to teach others and give official religious opinions, known as a fatwa. Over time, this created a long line of teachers and students passing down knowledge.

What Ulama Study

Ulama study many different subjects to understand Islam deeply. These subjects include:

• Theology: The study of God and religious beliefs.
• Mysticism: The study of spiritual experiences and a deeper connection with God.
• Law: The study of Islamic laws and rules for daily life.
• Philosophy: The study of basic questions about knowledge, values, and existence.
• Ethics: The study of moral principles and how people should behave.

Images for kids

• 

  Scholars at an Abbasid library. This illustration is from the Maqamat of al-Hariri, made by Yahya ibn Mahmud al-Wasiti in Baghdad in 1237.

• 

  An Ijazah, which is like a diploma, showing skill in Arabic calligraphy. It was written by 'Ali Ra'if Efendi in 1791 AD.

• 

  An Endowment Charter (Waqfiyya) for the Hürrem Sultan Mosque, Madrasa, and Imaret (a soup-kitchen). This document is from 1556–1557 AD and is kept at the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts.

See also

In Spanish: Ulema para niños