IMAM (Arabic, "leader" in the sense of a "pattern whose ex ample is followed"). In the Qur'an it is used several times of leaders and (ii. ii8) of Abraham, "Lo, I make thee a pattern for mankind." Imam thus became the name of the head of the Muslim community. His duty is to be the lieutenant, the Caliph (q.v.) of the Prophet, to guard the faith and maintain the government of the state. Round the origin and basis of his office all controversies as to the Muslim state centre. The Sunnites hold that it is for men to appoint ; the Shiites in general, that the appointment lies with God, through the Prophet or otherwise, and that He always has appointed. The Kharijites recognize no absolute need of an Imam ; he is convenient and allowable. Another distinction between the Sunnites and the Shiites is that the Sunnites regard the Imam as liable to err, and to be obeyed even though he personally sins, provided gie maintains the ordinances of Islam. But the Shiites believe that the divinely appointed Imam is also divinely illumined and preserved (ma`sum) from sin. The above is called the greater Imamate. The lesser Imamate is the leadership in the Friday prayers. This was originally performed by the Imam in the first sense, who not only led in prayers but delivered a sermon (khutba) ; but with the growth of the Muslim empire and the re tirement of the caliph from public life, it was necessarily given over to deputies, who in Turkey were servants of the state, each in charge of his own parish; they performed the rites of circum cision, marriage and burial. In Persia among Shiites their posi tion is more purely spiritual, and they are independent of the state. A few of their leaders are called Mujtahids, i.e. capable of giving an independent opinion on questions of religion and canon law. A third use of the term Imam is as an honorary title. It is thus applied to leading theologians, e.g. to Abu Hanifa, ash Shafi`i, Malik ibn Anas, Ahmad ibn Hanbal (these are called "the four Imams"), Ghazali.