Imam

CHARACTER
Imam
Gender	Male
Nationality	Egyptian
Profession(s)	Priest Scholar Astronomer

"Imam has many interests, Indiana. Priest. Scholar. Astronomer. If anyone can can explain the markings, he can."

―Sallah el-Kahir

Imam was an old man who lived on the outskirts of Cairo in Egypt.

Biography

As an acquaintance of Sallah el-Kahir, Sallah believed that Imam would be able to translate the markings on the Headpiece to the Staff of Ra for Indiana Jones in his search to acquire the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis in 1936 due to Imam's talents as priest, scholar, and an astronomer.

It was Imam who revealed the medallion held further instructions on its reverse side, integral to calculating the precise location of the Ark on Tanis' Map Room floor. He also mentioned a warning to not disturb the Ark, which would later prove crucial for Jones.

Abu was training under Imam as his apprentice.

Five years later, in August 1941, Indiana Jones sought out Imam at his desert abode in the Sinai Peninsula while seeking help in the decryption of an inscription he was using to unravel the mystery of Mount Sinai and discover what the Nazis were looking for there.

Behind the scenes

Imam was played by the late Tutte Lemkow in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

A later development to the film's screenplay, Imam's role was originally occupied by Jules Spencer, a Holmesian-like former student of Abner Ravenwood and college roommate of Indiana Jones. Much of the Spencer part subsequently got absorbed by Sallah in the second draft but in the third version, an old man called Amir who is friends with Sallah is responsible for translating the headpiece to the Staff of Ra at the house of Sallah.

The scene at Imam's house was the first scene from Raiders to be shot at Elstree Studios. According to Kathleen Kennedy, Tutte Lemkow suffered from a bit of stage fright the day the scene was shot, so he couldn't stop his hands from shaking while holding the Headpiece to the Staff of Ra.

In Campbell Black's novelization, Imam explains the warning to not disturb the Ark in further detail, not to touch it with bare hands, open it, nor gaze into it, saying God would show no mercy.

In Islam, an imam is a leader of a mosque and/or community who leads prayer during gatherings. Indiana Jones sources vary on treating "Imam" as the character's name (as it is in the script) or his position. The Complete Making of Indiana Jones, for example, lists it as his position.

Appearances

• Raiders of the Lost Ark novel (First appearance)
• Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Raiders of the Lost Ark comic
• Indiana Jones and the Mystery of Mount Sinai

Sources

• Raiders of the Lost Ark Sourcebook
• Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb: 1935 Journal