What it means
تقلید (taqlid) comes from the Arabic root q-l-d, a Form II verbal noun meaning to collar or to invest someone with authority, and from that, to follow someone’s lead. In everyday Persian it means imitation or mimicry: copying a voice, a style, or a behavior. In Shia Islam it carries a specific legal meaning: following the rulings of a qualified religious jurist (marja). A contrasting word is ابتکار (ebtekâr), meaning initiative or originality. The verb form is تقلید کردن (taqlid kardan).
How to use it
- بچهها از بزرگترا تقلید میکنن. (bachehâ az bozorgterâ taqlid mikonan.) “Children imitate adults.”
- اون تقلید صدام رو درمیآره. (un taqlid sedâm ro darmiâre.) “He can imitate my voice.”
- تقلید کورکورانه خوب نیست. (taqlide kurkurâne khub nist.) “Blind imitation is not good.”
- مرجع تقلیدش آیتالله فلانیه. (marjae taqlidshe âyatollâh folânihe.) “His religious authority to follow is Ayatollah so-and-so.”
Cultural note
In Shia Muslim practice, taqlid is a formal religious institution. Lay believers who are not qualified scholars are expected to select a living grand ayatollah (marja) and follow his rulings on matters of Islamic law. This makes taqlid simultaneously an everyday word for copycat behavior and a cornerstone of Shia religious governance. In secular Persian usage the word often carries a slightly negative connotation, suggesting a lack of original thought.