Europe Focuses on Imams for Combating Terrorism
By S.
Arshad, New Age Islam
24 June
2021
A New
Generation of Indigenous Imams in Germany Has Come Up Who Are Born and Trained
In Germany
Main
Points:
1. European Union proposes setting up of Imam
Training Institute.
2. 90%of Imams of Germany are from Turkey and
other Islamic countries.
3. Imams from Turkey work in half of 2500
mosques in Germany.
4. Focus on imams in Europe turned on after
Vienna terrorist attack last year.
5. A new generation of home grown imams taking
place of foreign imams in European mosques.
----
Imams, the
preachers and prayer leaders in mosques play a pivotal role in the Islamic
society. They are equipped with the knowledge of Islamic theology and guide
Muslims in their day to day affairs from birth to death. Therefore, they wield
great influence on the common Muslims.
They also
deliver sermons before Friday prayers and on special religious occasions
outside mosques as well.
However,
many of the imams subscribe to a particular sect or ideology and often use
their position as an imam to propagate their ideology among the Muslims.
In Islamic
countries there are various schools of Islamic thought. Some believe in an
inclusive approach and secularism while others believe in a supremacist and
violent interpretation of Islam. The latter has become a cause of concern for
governments of European countries where Muslims live in large numbers and have established
their mosques and religious institutions.
Imam training is in the spotlight of this year's German Islam
Conference. (Photo courtesy: DW Made for minds)
----
Since the
last few years, more prominently, since the emergence of the ISIS in 2014,
European countries have witnessed a rise in terrorist attacks and lone wolf
terror attacks. For example, Paris attack on 13 November 2015 killing 137 people,
Nice attack on 14 July 2016 killing 86 people and Vienna lone wolf attack on 2
November 2020 killing 5 people turned the focus on imams of mosques in European
countries.
After the
Vienna attack, Austria made registration of imams compulsory and as a member of
the European Union called on the European Union countries to make registration
of imams mandatory because the imams working in European countries keep
travelling to various countries.
French,
British and Dutch governments have already spoke of launching imam training
programmes to prepare Euro-friendly imams.
The
European governments have increasingly felt that imams subscribing to extremist
ideology or political Islam propagate their extremist ideology through their
sermons in mosques and their sermons drive Muslim youth towards extremism and
even to terrorist actions. Therefore, the European countries are trying to
launch imam training programmes in their countries. These training programmes
are aimed at preparing imams who know and understand the needs and requirements
of a modern pluralist society. The modern European imams will not only possess
the knowledge of Islamic theology but also skills that will help them answer
questions Muslims face in a new social and political milieu.
In his
article titled "Professionalising the imam in Europe: Imam training
programmes as sites of deliberate Engagement", Welmoet Boender writes:
"As
one important policy strategy, they point at an active promotion of a
"moderate" and "tolerant" Islam that is more attuned to
European policies and values and efforts to create a Euro-friendly imam corps
that include re-educating the imams in schools with government ties."
The
European governments know that imams from Egypt, Qatar and Turkey who belong to
Muslim Brotherhood work in European mosques and preach exclusivist
interpretation of Islam among the younger generation of Muslims in those
countries. These preachers present the European countries as enemy territories
and their inhabitants as enemies of Islam who need to be dominated in order to
establish the supremacy of Islam.
Therefore,
in November 2020, President of European Union Council Chrles Michel said that
the EU should quickly set up European Imam Training Institute to oversee the
training of imams to fight against extremist ideologies, violent extremist
messages of hatred and messages of rejection and make sure that their messages
to Muslim followers do not contribute to spreading an ideology of hatred.
The
political parties and also most of Islamic associations in these countries
worry that foreign imams hinder integration and promote a sense of alienation
among immigrant Muslims.
Therefore,
the liberal and secular minded Muslims of Europe welcomed the proposal of
training of imams to end dependence on foreign imams and prepare imams who are
aware of the cultural values of Europe. Chems-Eddine Hafiz (Shamsuddin Hafiz?)
a prominent Muslim cleric of France said that the suggestion was a noble idea.
But other hardline Islamic figures opposed the proposal. The Rector of Grand
Mosque of Paris said that the training programme of imams was not feasible.
Germany has
taken a few steps for the training of imams. An Islamic theology program was
held in the German city Osnabruck during German Imam Conference. Germany is
trying to prepare imams who speak German language and can connect to the German
Muslims. 90% of the imams of Germany are trained abroad particularly in
Turkey's contentious institution Diyanet and deliver their sermons in a foreign
language.
Osanbruck
University of Germany even announced a two year training program for imams but
two of Germany's largest Islamic groups ---Turkish Islamic Union of Religious
Affairs and Islamic Community Milli Gorus that represent almost half of
Germany's 2500 mosques declined to participate in the program citing potential
government interference. Obviously such training programmes will end Turkish
influence on 5 million Muslims of Germany. However, gradually a new generation
of indigenous imams in Germany has come up who are born and trained in Germany.
------
Sohail
Arshad is a columnist with NewAgeIslam.com.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islam-west/europe-imams-terrorism/d/125012
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