Definition of "spiritual leader" []

• A person who gives religious or sacred leadership, though not necessarily the leader of a religious organization (noun)

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• "Members of Jemaah Islamiah, a militant Islamic organization with links to Al Qaeda, were tried for the bombings; while three of those connected to the bombings received death sentences, the spiritual leader of the group, Abu Bakar Bashir, was released after a twenty-six-month prison term."
• "Hurvitz “Rabbi Mitch” has served as the spiritual leader for Temple Sholom of Greenwich, CT."
• "REPORTER: Well, Jemaah Islamiyah's so-called spiritual leader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir founded a boarding school in Indonesia which apparently teaches some of these radical views that he holds and he has refused to condemn the bombings on Friday and he has said that terrorism is justified in the war against infidels."