‖n. [ Turk. & Ar. 'ulamā the wise or learned men, pl. of 'ālim wise, learned, fr. alima to know. ] (Islam) A college or body composed of the hierarchy (the imams, or ministers of religion, the muftis, or doctors of law, and the cadis, or administrators of justice). That of Turkey alone now has political power; its head is the sheik ul Islam. This definition was written ca. 1900. The government of Turkey in 1998 is exclusively secular, whereas Iran in 2001 is dominated by Moslem clergy. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. +PJC ]