Question: If I want to ask a Marja questions about Islamic law, where do I go?

Answer:  You can visit his official website. Most Marjas have official sites where Q&A are emailed.

Question: How can I contact my local resident Imam?

Answer: Most Islamic centers have websites where relevant contact info is provided.     

Question: What are the major hawzas or seminaries in the world?

Answer: Najaf and Qum 

Question: If I want to join the hawza, what can I do to enter it?

Answer: Contact your local Islamic center Imam, he may be able to arrange for you to be trained in a hawza, either within the country or abroad. 

Question: Why are highly ranked scholars called Signs of God (Ayatollah), isn’t this a bit sanctimonious?

Answer: Clerics usually don’t refer to themselves as Ayatollahs, its usually the people who call them such. However, according to the Qur’an, all of creation is a sign of God so in this sense, there is nothing wrong or sanctimonious about the term.