wider retraining + training + education + culture in all areas.

Scholars of the Islamic nation stipulated conditions and recorded great many explanations concerning the leader with regard to the performance of the duty of the Imamate. However, governments have introduced a lot of methods in the management of mosques.
Imam is not in need of training or quick reevaluation as required by political objectives to be passed to the masses of worshipers. The objectives are to present the ruler as pious and the custodian of the divine right. The imam is hence in charge of issuing religious edicts that bless the throne and those around it in the name of religion. Imams should leave lecterns and Mihrabs because they are not up to the level of understanding the real function of the imamate and not because they do not know the pillars, the duties and the conditions. These parts do not need training because they are postulates that everyone should know. But they have abandoned the Promotion of Virtue and the prevention of vice and are dominated by strange behaviors regarding the performances of the Imamate. Neither piety nor knowledge, moderation and asceticism are dealt with in good intention by imams. I’m not saying that the king is not seduced by worldly gains but that moderation in these things is the most appropriate and closest to the hearts even though some do not accept it. If mosques are devoid of sermons and preaching and counseling and edicts regarding the developments in jurisprudence and science then how do we expect blocking extremist or doctrinal ideologies? Mechanisms of success in the establishment of references are then impotent not matter how many seminars and forums we organize.

The position of Imams in the past was similar to prophethood, because they have inherited knowledge from the Prophet. It is known also that Imams in the past did not receive a salary from the ruler, but according to the Islamic concept the imam is himself the ruler as evidenced by the saying of Mohammed may Allah bless him and grant him peace, man leading people who dislike him … Anyone who looks carefully at this saying understands that the intended meaning is not an imam who leads prayers but extends to all the affairs of the people among which the rule … Anyway, imams in the Islamic era did not receive a salary and their position was independent from rulers hence the majority of imams used to hold other working positions and the Imamate was only a transitional function in their lives … As for now, and after Imams started earning salaries from rulers we notice that they sold their souls and worse even they became a mouthpiece for ruler’s policy allowing one policy over the other for fear that people rebel against rulers …. I do not think that imams should be taught anything from politicians in order for the position of imam to remain above governments. Would be better if our rulers followed the example of the sultan of imams Al Ezz Ibn Abd al Salam during the Mamluk era ….???????

The plan that they are following to form and train imams does not live up to integrity in the service of the right religion. The required level of study to accept imams is very low and defeated. We see that the trained and graduated imam is only the one who did not succeed in his studies during the first stages of education. Yet, we are to believe that when trained in these locations this person will turn into a successful student capable of saving the nation from sinking and take it to safety, or as they claim. They are like those who are trying to escape from drowning while in the sea, but they will not survive because they are swimming against the sweeping current.

“Religious extremism” is a term that was invented by tyrants and dictators, meaning anything that doesn’t comply with the illicit things they do, such as women’s hijab and the beard, among other things. Imams were conditioned by dictators and instructed to stay away from anything that’s against those tyrants. Any Imam who doesn’t obey that rule is considered an extremist.

Magharebia should consider asking smarter questions. Extremism and terrorism in the Maghreb, and in the Arab world in general, stem primarily from the toppled and surviving dictatorships. How long will they continue to survive? The wording of the question suggests that the misfortune of the countries in question is caused by their imams. In Tunisia, for example, the revolution revealed that Ben Ali and his gang had been looting Tunisia for decades. Their police spread terror among citizens; people who dared criticize them were arrested, tortured and unjustly condemned to long sentences, if they weren’t simply murdered. Under Ben Ali’s rule, the imams spread his propaganda in mosques. Is Magharebia talking about those imams? Their propaganda for the dictatorship had nothing to do with their training. They received orders from the regime, and for every Friday prayer, they had to read a speech sent to them from the Ministry of Religious Affairs praising Ben Ali. They had to obey. Don’t forget Ben Ali’s murderous repression before his flight; he killed hundreds of demonstrators, not to mention the wounded, many of which are disabled for life. Is it the fault of the Imams? I think that the person who phrased this question didn’t take these facts into account. Western countries have been supporting Arab dictatorships. When Ben Ali’s regime was collapsing, France was preparing to send police reinforcements to save it.

One of the conditions for the Imamate is acceptance by the people. Being an Imam against the people’s will is a failure to comply with this condition. The four Imams agreed that it is unacceptable to have an Imam who is disliked by the people. Extremism means deviating from intellectual rules, values, standards and common behaviors in society. This is expressed with isolation, passivity, withdrawal, or adopting different values and standards and defending them even through individual or collective violence to bring change to society, and strongly impose one’s opinion on others. Semantically, an imam is a perfect and ideal person who is at the top of the pyramid of guides; and he leads the nation to perfection and progress in individual and social areas. Therefore the nation should comply with his orders and directives, and consider him a role model in his actions and decisions. When we resort to the standards of function to select an Imam, we omit consensus and the opinion of society’s elders with whom we grew up and from whom we learned wisdom. These people are replaced by others who are a far fry from the temporal and spatial contexts, and whose role is limited to reading speeches without any personal or sensitive opinions, or going against the stream. Integration and extremism depend on the philosophy of society and the credibility of decision-makers.

The sermons of preachers for Friday prayers should focus on the Day of Judgment. This topic should be twofold:
1) Present the issue without ambiguity or confusion, and with no political influences.
2) Present effective solutions, which consist exclusively of promoting good and preventing evil.

Professor Lakhal talked about extremism in an incomprehensible way with touches of confusion and ambiguity. He better explain to us the concept of extremism according to him clearly * What is extremism * What behaviors do you consider extremists* When can we say about a person an extremist * How can we address this serious problem, Thanks

Peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy. Training imams is very important, but it must not be political in accordance with the rulers’ plans and policies. This training must be scientific and systematic to develop and improve the skills of Imams in the mentioned areas. Imams should then be given the freedom of practice needed for their venerable mission. If they are to receive any criticism, then it should be from scholars who will offer them advice and guidance, and through special trainings. Let’s not forget that in Islam, the role of religious scholars – including Imams, and Friday preachers in particular – is higher than that of politicians and managers of public affairs. Therefore, these scholars can advise even governors at the highest level, and they must not be pressured to hide the truth –as this contradicts their missions- only to comply with the desires of the oppressors who dominate their peoples and refuse to hear the truth; like Pharaoh who said, “I do not show you except what I see, and I do not guide you except to the way of right conduct.” Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy. Friday preacher, and a certified instructor in training Imams in his country.

Imam. We pray Allah the Almighty to help us perform this great job, which is a responsibility, not an honour.

Imams have nothing to do with extremism, especially in Morocco. A saying states that whoever fears something becomes inflicted with it.

Praise be to Allah. Peace and prayers be upon the Messenger of Allah, as well as his family and companions. This subject entails many details, as scholars distinguished between: 1) hostility between the congregation and the imam due to worldly issues, and 2) hostility caused by the imam’s lack of religiosity, or his commitment to religion and Sunnah. Scholars also distinguished between an imam disliked by one or two people, and an imam hated by the majority of the congregation. There are some Hadiths by the Prophet – peace and prayers be upon him – regarding an imam objected by the congregation. Ibn Majah narrated from Ibn Abbas – may Allah be pleased with them -, that the Prophet – peace and prayers be upon him – said: “There are three (persons) whose prayer does not rise even a single span above their heads: a man leading a congregational prayer while the people hate him…” Al-Iraqi said that the isnaad of this Hadith is good. The Prophet – peace and prayers be upon him – also said: “There are three whose prayer goes no further than their ears: a runaway slave until he returns, a wife whose husband remains angry with her overnight, and a imam who leads the people in prayer when they object to him doing so”, narrated by al-Tirmidhi from the Hadith of Abu Umamah, and reviewed by al-Albani. Al-Shawkaani said: “Hadiths on this topic strengthen one another, and are used as arguments on forbidding a man from being an imam for a congregation that dislikes him. This prohibition stems from the fact that prayer behind such an imam is not accepted, and does not rise above the congregation’s heads, and people who do so are cursed. Some scholars argue that it is prohibited, while others argue that it is only disliked.” This is what some scholars say about the topic. In Al-Durr al-Mukhtar: “Regarding a man who leads the people in prayer when they object to him doing so. If the objection is due to the imam’s corruption, or because the worshipers deserve the imamate more than him, then it is prohibited for him to lead the prayers… If the Imam is more qualified than the congregation, then there is no objection in him leading the prayers, and it is rather unacceptable for the congregation to object.” In the Malekite school, it is disliked for a man to be an imam if a few people among the less credited object to him, and his imamate becomes forbidden if the majority of people or the most credited object to him, according to al-Dasouqi. The Shafi’i and Hanbali schools agree that it is disliked that an imam leads people in prayer when they object to him doing so. Imam Ahmed said: It is okay if one, two or three people object to an imam, but it is not when the majority of people do. Al-Maghni (2/57). The correct view is perhaps the following: If an Imam is knowledgeable about religion and Sunnah, and his congregation objected to him because of that, then his Imamate is not questionable; the same applies if the objection is because of a worldly conflict between the imam and the congregation. Prayers led by that Imam are valid in both cases.

Scholars are the heirs of the prophets. To preserve his position, an imam should cheer for the governors who are in power and control subsistence means.

The problem does not lie in the training of imams, but rather in the congregation receiving their ideas. People like the truth, and they do not need training.