DAR AL HARB - U.K.: TEACHING IMAMS IN BRITISH UNIVERSITIES IS NOT A GOOD IDEA, SO SAY THE IMAMS

'Imams are not the solution to terrorism'
Muslim spiritual leaders say Blair's call for training in UK universities is misguided, reports Jessica Shepherd

University imams have reacted angrily to comments made by Tony Blair last week about their education. The prime minister said imams should be trained in UK universities. Too many, he told a conference of Islamic religious leaders, entered Britain with poor English and an insufficient grasp of the country's traditions.

University imams and prominent Muslims on campus say they believe the prime minister's words were really about reducing extremism, and not about imams' standards of English or their understanding of British culture. "We are aware we need UK-trained imams who can speak English and know what is happening on our streets," says Ibrahim Mogra, an imam at De Montfort, Leicester and Loughborough universities and chairman of the Interfaith Relations Committee of the Muslim Council of Britain.

But in any case Mogra and others question what they see as an underlying assumption by the government that the solution to extremism lies with imams from overseas, university training for imams, or even imams at all. Blair is misguided and misinformed, they say.

No guarantees

"The problem is not imams and their countries of origin," says Mogra. "The tiny proportion of extremists usually have nothing to do with imams. Anyway, there is no guarantee that just because an imam is trained in the UK, he won't suddenly flip. Likewise, foreign imams are not necessarily extremists. The majority of imams are trained in the UK and in the next 20 years 90% will be British graduates. But there will always be a need for an expert from abroad."

Mona Siddiqui, professor of Islamic studies at the University of Glasgow, says it is wrong to assume imams are the buffer between extreme Islam and secular education. "People who are involved in extremism will not usually involve their imam," she says. "Imams are not the solution to the problem of terrorism."

Mazin Younis, a volunteer imam at Leeds University, says: "Extremism is not created from abroad, it is coming from within. Blair's plans could have the opposite effect."

In any case, Blair's plans for training imams in universities are none too clear. The government says it is aware of a community group working with Birkbeck College, which is part of the University of London, to develop courses for imams.

The Department for Communities and Local Government is developing "minimum standards" for imams. In its report, Preventing Violent Extremism - Winning Hearts and Minds, the department pledges by early 2008 to "establish a framework of minimum requirements for all imams engaged by the state ... which will allow for a flexible yet targeted approach for imams".

It says: "We have made it clear that it is not acceptable for leadership organisations merely to pay lip service to tackling violent extremism. Government is giving priority, in its support and funding decisions, to those leadership organisations actively working to tackle violent extremism ... and speaking out for the vast majority who reject violence."

Meanwhile, the Department for Education and Skills says it is "not planning to educate imams at universities". Instead, it is separately developing short training sessions for all faith leaders, including imams, from September 2007. These would include units on charity law, leadership skills and financial management. All the new plans are at a very early stage.

"I think the intention behind the government's new plans is probably to make sure more people are involved with young Muslims," says Siddiqui. "I don't see how it is going to work. Who is going to have the authority on which imams get trained? I think it hasn't been thought through."
Siddiqui says critical thinking is an important part of university courses in the UK. Imams are taught with "more of a devotional rote learning" style.

Mogra says: "Imams must have spiritual and theological training that can only be supplied by people who themselves have had this training. We won't accept any interference from government or universities in our theological training." Courses on counselling, other faiths and computer skills would be helpful though, he says.

The government also plans to equip all universities with Muslim chaplains to provide a link with local communities. An estimated 30 of the 89 universities in the UK have chaplains. Ataullah Siddiqui, director of the Markfield Institute of Higher Education, said last week chaplaincy training needed to be improved and that local Muslim communities should use their resources to "strengthen" the chaplaincy service.

...


Pertinent Links:

1) 'Imams are not the solution to terrorism'