Complex sentence: Traditionally only the most renowned ayatollahs of the given time published a "risālah", while today many ayatollahs of varying degrees of illustriousness have published one, while some of the renowned ones have refused to do so.
Split into simpler sentences: Traditionally only the most renowned ayatollahs of the given time published a "risālah". Today, however, many ayatollahs of varying degrees of illustriousness have published one, while some of the renowned ones have refused to do so.