All corrections
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayatollah
2 corrections found
1
Claim
ʾāyatu llāhi fī l-ʾanʿām ( Arabic : آية الله في الأنعام , lit. ' Sign of God among mankind ' )
Correction
The Arabic word الأنعام (al-anʿām) means livestock/cattle, not “mankind”; “mankind” is الأنام (al-anām).
Full reasoning
In Arabic, **الأنعام (al-anʿām)** refers to grazing livestock/cattle, not to human beings. For example, Quran.com labels *Sūrat al-Anʿām* (chapter 6) as **“The Cattle”**, reflecting the standard meaning of *al-anʿām*.
By contrast, Edward William Lane’s *Arabic–English Lexicon* defines **الأَنَامُ (al-anām)** as “mankind” / “created beings.” So translating **“آية الله في الأنعام”** as “Sign of God among mankind” is incorrect: the phrase as written literally corresponds to “...in/among the livestock (al-anʿām),” while “...among mankind” would require **الأَنام** (al-anām) rather than **الأَنعام** (al-anʿām).
This appears to be a confusion between two similar-looking Arabic words (الأنعام vs الأنام) that have different meanings.
3 sources
- Surah Al-An'am - 1-165 - Quran.com
“Al-An'am . 6 … The Cattle” (Quran.com’s title/label for Surah 6).
- الانعام - Translation from Arabic into English | PONS
Entry shows “الانعام” and translates it as “Livestock.”
- Arabic - English Lexicon by Edward William Lane
“الأَنَامُ … i. q. الخَلْقُ … [Mankind …] mankind and the jinn … [or] created beings.”
2
Claim
The earliest known address of this title is for Ibn Mutahhar Al-Hilli (died 1374)
Correction
Ibn Muṭahhar al-Ḥillī (al-ʿAllāma al-Ḥillī) died in 1325 CE (726 AH), not 1374.
Full reasoning
The article states that “Ibn Mutahhar Al-Hilli” died in **1374**. This appears to refer to Jamāl al-Dīn Ḥasan ibn Yūsuf ibn ʿAlī ibn Muṭhahhar al-Ḥillī (commonly known as **al-ʿAllāma al-Ḥillī**), a major Twelver Shīʿī scholar.
Authoritative reference works date his death to **December 18, 1325** (726 AH), not 1374. For example, Encyclopaedia Britannica’s biography entry for al-Ḥillī gives his death date as **1325**. Since 1374 is nearly 50 years later, the “died 1374” claim is incorrect.
1 source
- al-Ḥillī | Shi’ite, Jurisprudence, Theologian | Britannica
Britannica lists: “al-Ḥillī … (born … 1250 …—died Dec. 18, 1325).”