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Is there a halachic issue with referring to a Muslim imam by the title "Imam" (or "Imam __" with the person's name inserted in place of the underscore)?

Here are the thoughts that lead me to ask this question: The Arabic word "imam" means something like "leader" (according to Wiktionary), which seems like a pretty harmless term to use. On the other hand, perhaps lending this sort of kavod to a Muslim religious leader is inappropriate in that it legitimizes Islam, which we may not want to promote. (A possible precedent for this could be how Rav Moshe Feinstein writes ראביי instead of רב when he is referring to non-Orthodox Jewish clergy; even though both terms have the same etymological origin, Rav Moshe does not want to legitimize non-Orthodox Judaism through the use of the honorific רב.)

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    Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/31928
    – Fred
    Commented Nov 6, 2013 at 2:42
  • what does imam mean? then you will have an answer Commented Nov 6, 2013 at 3:14
  • According to Wiktionary (en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%85#Arabic), it literally means something like "leader".
    – user3318
    Commented Nov 6, 2013 at 3:15
  • Why would "leader" be a term that would be Asur to use?
    – Seth J
    Commented Nov 6, 2013 at 3:42
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    That doesn't clarify my confusion. Why is "leader" a problem? You're not saying "my leader", are you? It's not like "father", either, which suggests something more than a simple acknowledgment that other people follow him.
    – Seth J
    Commented Nov 6, 2013 at 3:49

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