Shia clerics

Ayatollah is a title for high-ranking Twelver Shia clergy. It came into widespread usage in the 20th century. Those who hold this title must be men and specialists in Islamic sciences such as jurisprudence (fiqh) and principles (usul), often teaching in seminaries. The next lower rank among these clergy is Hojjatoleslam.

Persian Shia hadith collector (864–941 CE)

Iraqi Twelver Shia theologian (c. 948–1022)

Iraqi Islamic theologian and scholar (1250-1325)

shia scholars killed by Sunni regimes

'''Muḥammad ibn Mas'ūd al-ʾAyyāshi al-Samarqandi () () (probably died on 932), known as Ayyashi''' (), was a 10th century Twelver Shia Muslim scholar, jurist (faqīh) and mufassir from Samarkand. He had many known works in the field of exegesis of the Quran, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), Arabic literature and hadith. His exegesis of the Quran, known as Tafsir Ayyashi, is his most famous book.

Religious authorities in a branch of Islam

Iranian historian