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