The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 letter word IMAMS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
I
M
A
M
S
More clues leading to the result IMAMS
- Geordie mother is taken round to see holy men
- Single mothers becoming learned theologians
- Some 16 miracles served up by preachers
- Religious men primarily instil morals, averting mortal sin
- One postgrad with manuscript for devotional officers
- Faith leaders in bedclothes, not judges
- Clerics don’t miss me?
- Prayer leaders, ones welcoming mother
- Claim Amsterdam must welcome religious leaders
- Retired religious teacher taking mass for week for prayer leaders
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "religious leaders" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case religious leaders = imams.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does IMAMS mean?
IMAMS noun- (usually capitalized) A Shi'ite Muslim leader.
- One who leads the salat prayers in a mosque.