This article is about a Shia authority.

For the town in Afghanistan, see Marja, Afghanistan. For

people named Marja, see Marja (name). For mother of caliph Al-Ma'mun, see Marajil. For
current Maraji, see List of current Maraji. For deceased Maraji, see List of deceased Maraji.

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Marji' (Arabic: ‫مرجع‬, transliteration: marjiʿ; plural: marājiʿ), literally meaning "source to follow" or

"religious reference", is a title given to the highest level of Twelver Shia religious cleric, with the
authority given by a hawzah (a seminary where Shi'a Muslim scholars are educated) to make
legal decisions within the confines of Islamic law for followers and clerics below him in rank. The
highest ranking marjiʿ is known as the marja al-mutlaq or marja al-taqlid al-mutlaq.[1][2][note 1] A Marji'
is also, or usually is also,[3] a Grand Ayatollah.
Sources differ as to when the institution of the marja˓ emerged, with Murtadha al-Ansari (d. 1864)
[2]
 and Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni (d. 940 or 941 CE)[4] both being called the first marja'.
As of 2023 there are approximately over 50 living Maraji, almost all residing in Iran or Iraq.