Talk:Rahim Arbab

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Would someone please finish up the story of this gentleman's life? Cheers - Her Pegship 16:05, 22 January 2006 (UTC)

Grand Ayatollah?

Referring to the man as grand ayatollah has many problems:

1. There are no original sources in which he is reffered to as "ayatollah".
2. Prefixes were critical to identification at the time first names and surnames were not as common among people. a mere change of prefix could change the person people are referring to. It is thus a recommended practice among scholars not to change such critical prefixes.
3. Ayatollan is a title most commonly used among clerics who finish studying religious law. This man was a prominent mystic; He was not interested in "formal" studies and his focus was religious experience. Ayatollah is an honorary mantle meaning a "sign of god".
4. Haj agha, Meaning man who has visited mecca is the prefix he has been famously called by. It is in par with his extreme tendency towards a humble life. Titles like grand-ayatollah are in stark contrast to that. It 's thus highly unlikely he would respond to being called by such titles.

I am therefore removing the grand ayatollah prefix.