allama

Allama is an honorific title of Arabic origin used in the Muslim world to designate a person regarded as a highly learned scholar. Derived from al-‘ālim, meaning “the learned one,” the form Allāmah/Allama translates roughly as “the learned one” or “the great scholar.” In Urdu, Persian, Turkish, and other languages, the title is commonly placed before a person’s name and can refer to jurists, theologians, historians, poets, or senior academics. The feminine form Allamah is used for women in some contexts, though the masculine Allama is more common in casual usage.

In South Asia and the wider Islamic world, the title Allama is widely associated with prominent scholars who contributed to religious or intellectual life. Notable individuals include Allama Muhammad Iqbal, the philosopher-poet and statesman who inspired the Pakistan Movement; Allama Shibli Nomani, a 20th-century Islamic scholar and historian who helped shape modern Urdu scholarship; and Allama Anwar Shah Kashmiri, a renowned commentator and hadith scholar. The name is honorary rather than a professional credential, and it does not denote membership in a specific institution; rather, it signals recognized scholarly stature.

In contemporary usage, Allama remains a conventional honorific in parts of the Middle East, South Asia, and the broader Islamic world, used in media and formal address for respected scholars. It should be noted that spellings vary, with Allāmah, Allama, or Allamah being common transliterations.