Assalam-u-alaikum mufti sahib I would like to know the difference between, sheikh, mufti, aalim, maulana and imam. and can you tell me which title is used for which scholar. jazakallah khairun
Answer
According to the scholars of Hadith, the word, ‘Sheikh’ refers to an Ustaadh
of Hadith. In the Arab world, ‘Sheikh’ refers to a learned person, the
equivalent to a Moulana in the Indo-pak continent.
In general, Sheikh will refer to a person whom one takes as his spiritual
guide. A Mufti means one who is qualified to issue a Shar’ee verdict. An
Aalim and a Moulana both refer to a learned person. Imam means leader –
generally used for one who leads the congregation in Salat.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai