Whats the difference between a mullah and an ayatollah?
A mullah is a member of the Islamic religious clergy who is an expert in Islamic jurisprudence, and has a solid grasp on the teachings of the Quran and the Hadith. In Arabic, mullah means one who is with God. An ayatollah, which means the prayer of God (Arabic) or the sign of God (Farsi), is a religious title given to Shiah mullahs who have gained the respect of the community of mullahs. Due to their expertise in Islamic law, ayatollahs tend to have large groups of faithful followers which gives them a lot of political clout. For more information on ayatollahs, check out Slates article: So, You Want to be an Ayatollah.
