mullah

[ArthuraCig]

a Muslim trained in the doctrine and law of Islam; the head of a mosque

[Kit]

A mullah is a title often given to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law, who often serves as a religious leader or cleric within the Muslim community. They can hold various roles within the Islamic religious hierarchy, including leading prayers in a mosque, religious teaching, or issuing fatwas (religious edicts). The term is commonly used in a number of Muslim-majority countries, including Iran, Afghanistan, and Turkey.

[Tayyaba]

Mullah is generally used to refer to a Muslim man, educated in Islamic theology and sacred law. The title, given to some Islamic clergy, is derived from the Arabic word مَوْلَى mawlā, meaning vicar, master and guardian. In large parts of the Muslim world, particularly Iran, Azerbaijan, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Turkey, Central Asia, Somalia and South Asia, it is the name commonly given to local Islamic clerics or mosque leaders.
The title has also been used in some Sephardic Jewish communities to refer to the communitys leadership, especially religious leadership.
It is primarily understood in the Muslim world as a term of respect for an educated man.