"Dr. Akhlaq's study of the most important religious institution of Shi'ite Islam, the marja'iya, illuminates different views about the Ayatollah-concept that emerge from the confluence of theology and jurisprudence in Shi'ite history. While arguing for the centrality of orthopraxy through interpretive juridical heritage, it illuminates the logical foundations of the Shi'ite legal tradition. I strongly recommend this informative book to understand politics and faith that Shiite scholars promoted for more than a millennium." --Abdulaziz Sachedina, George Mason University "The word "ayatollah" usually evokes negative connotations in Western minds, yet Sayyed Hassan Akhlaq shows us in this meticulously researched study how unnecessary this is. He retraces the genealogy and the phenomenology of the forms of knowledge presupposed in the independent reasoning that is the hallmark of any ayatollah as "sign of God." On top of that, he shows the great variety of ideas and cultures among various ayatollahs and their schools." --Pim Valkenberg, The Catholic University of America "Dr.

Akhlaq informs the readers of the complexity of the process of educational and religious training as well as spiritual and ethical preparation that an aspiring religious scholar goes through to achieve the rank of a mujtahid, the first step toward attaining the rank of an ayatullah. Beyond that phase, production of original scholarly works that demonstrate a mujtahid's superiority in scholarship (a'lamiyyat), the simplicity of life style, piety, dignity, and trustworthiness earn an aspiring mujtahid the recognition as an ayatullah. Among these high ranking ayatullahs usually four or five achieve that rank of "Grand Ayatullash" and function as the "Sources of Emulation" or the Marja'". This is an interesting timely book that demonstrates in detail the diversity of views among the high ranking Shi'a clergy and informs the lay reader and experts alike of the significance and enormous power this position carries, especially at the time that the title has lost its historical glorious and respected stature and has been abused by its free application to many unqualified members of the Shi'a clergy." --Mohammad H. Faghfoory, George Washington University.