Akhund

The Standard Chinese word for Imam (Chinese: 阿訇; pinyin: āhōng), used in particular by the Hui people, also derives from this term. Other similar Chinese terms (Chinese: 阿衡; pinyin: āhéng and Chinese: 阿洪; pinyin: āhóng) also exist.

Duty

Akhunds are religious and spiritual leaders. They lead the prayers in the mosques, deliver religious sermons, perform religious ceremonies such as marriage rituals, birth rituals etc. Many of them were magistrates or justices of Sharia courts who also exercised extrajudicial functions, such as mediation, guardianship over orphans and minors, and supervision and auditing of public works. They also often teach in Islamic schools known in Iran as hawzas and in other countries as madrasas.

Akhunds will usually have completed higher studies on Islamic subjects such as Sharia, Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), Quran etc. They commonly dress in religious attire.