“…In the present study, which focuses on Shiite symbols as harnessed by Muslim charismatic leaders, the notion of the “Muslim Ummah” as an imagined community (Anderson, ) is particularly relevant. Here, and in light of the heavy utilization of social media platforms such as YouTube, the concept of the “virtual Ummah” (Al‐Rawi, , ; Lawrence, ; Mandaville, ; Roy, ) or Islamic community, which exists primarily online, is especially useful, since these media not only circulate and inform others in the community but also, in the process, cocreate, reinforce, and spread messages regarding potential and actual leaders and enemies, symbols of identity, and standpoints on the reigning debates. In other words, they define the parameters of the debates as well as the boundaries of the imagined community.…”