Part of: Older students and advanced study
GlossaryWhat is an alim?
An alim (plural: ulama) is a person with formal training in Islamic scholarship, usually through a multi-year alimiyyah course covering Arabic, the Quran, hadith and fiqh. A woman who has completed the course is an alimah. In the UK the title is usually earned at a Darul Uloom or an Islamic college.
Meaning
From the Arabic root for knowledge ('ilm), alim means "one who knows". The plural ulama refers to scholars collectively.
How people become an alim
Most complete the alimiyyah course, often six to eight years full-time, commonly following the Dars-e-Nizami curriculum at a Darul Uloom. Graduates often receive an ijazah.
Alim, hafiz, qari, mufti
- Hafiz: has memorised the Quran (see hafiz)
- Qari: an expert reciter (see qari)
- Alim: a trained scholar
- Mufti: an alim with further specialist training to issue fatwas
Questions people also ask
What is the female of alim?
Alimah.
Is an alim the same as an imam?
Not necessarily. An imam leads prayers and may or may not be an alim; many UK imams are.
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← Bags and kit for older students: hifz, alim and beyond: the full topic guide
- The best bag for a hifz student
- Bags for alimiyyah (alim course) students
- What to pack for alim class
- What books do alim students carry?
- Bags for alimah students
- Bags for Arabic course students
- Bags for Islamic studies students and ISoc
- Quran and madrasah bags for adults
- Bags for Quran and madrasah teachers
- What is alimiyyah (the alim course)?
- What is Dars-e-Nizami?
- What is a Darul Uloom?
- What is dawrah al-hadith?
- What is an ijazah?
- What is a qari?
- Graduation gifts for a new alim or alimah