Mullah (; , , , ) is derived from the
Quranic term
Mawla. However, used ambiguously in the Quran, some publishers have described its usage as a religious title as inappropriate. The term is sometimes applied to a
Muslim man or woman, educated in
Islamic theology and
sacred law. The title is derived from the
Arabic word
mawla, meaning "vicar," "master" and "guardian." In large parts of the
Muslim world, particularly
Iran,
Kurdistan,
Pakistan,
Azerbaijan,
Afghanistan,
Eastern Arabia,
Turkey and the Balkans,
Central Asia, the
Horn of Africa and
South Asia, it is the name commonly given to local Islamic clerics or
mosque leaders.
