Islamic religious leaders Islamic religious leaders Islamic religious leaders have traditionally been people who, as part of the clerisy, mosque, or government, performed a prominent role within their community or nation. However, in the modern contexts of Muslims minorities in non-Muslim countries as well as secularised Muslim states like Turkey, Indonesia and Bangladesh, religious leadership may take a variety of non-formal shapes. Compared to religious leaders/clerics of the other Abrahamic faiths, Islamic clergy are said to resemble rabbis and not priests. Unlike Catholic priests they do not "serve as intermediaries between mankind and God", have "process of ordination", or "sacramental functions", but instead
Hadith of the Quran and Sunnah the first three Sunni Caliphs, most especially as legitimate spiritual leaders of the "ummah', referring to them and those who put them into power as usurpers. Because the Shi'a believe that Muhammad said "Hadith al-Thaqalayn" on many occasions, the Shi'a have many different versions of what Muhammad said. One such version corresponds closely to what the Sunnis also believe in: Muhammad said: "One of them (i.e. the Thaqalayn) is the Book of God and the other one is my select progeny ("'Itratî "), that is family (Ahlul-Bayt). Beware of how you behave (with) them when I am gone from amongst