Al-Ashaikh Urges Imams to Tackle Terror, Extremism
MAKKAH, 10 May 2008 — Minister of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and
Guidance Saleh Al-Ashaikh said that imams and Friday preachers in the
Kingdom's mosques do not deal with the topic of terror and extremism in
their speeches unless ordered to by the ministry.
"Khatibs only speak about the need to shun misguided ideologies and
terrorism when they receive instructions from the ministry. They do not
discuss the subject until another instruction is issued," said Al-Ashaikh.
"This is not the right method. A preacher should know that it is his
religious duty to speak out against terror and misguided ideologies as he is
aware of what the Shariah says on the matter," Al-Ashaikh said.
"Their attitude is wrong. Preachers should be spurred by their conscience
and act with a sense of responsibility without waiting for a circular from
the ministry to discuss the issue," he said. "When a preacher believes in
what he is saying and is in the need of uprooting extremist ideologies his
words will be sincere and strongly influence the people," he added.
In a related development, Mustafa Makhdoum, dean of the Higher Institute for
Imams and Khatibs at Taiba University, said the institute aims to produce a
generation of moderate religious preachers who would be skilled in modern
methods of communication. Speaking at a function to mark a two-week course
for imams and preachers in Taif on Wednesday, Makhdoum said, "The graduates
of the institute are known for being moderate and their ability to influence
people. They warn people of the dangers of extremist and misguided
ideologies.
"The institute strives to remove misunderstandings in the mindset of
traditional preachers besides helping them acquire modern skills of
communication, thus enabling them to present their ideas in an effective
style."
He added that 55 imams and preachers, and a number of members from the
Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice attended
the course.
The dean stressed the need to appoint full-time preachers at mosques who
would be able to devote their full attention to their congregation. He added
that there was a need to put preachers through workshops and orientation
courses.
"Preachers should understand contemporary issues and be able to identify the
problems faced by different levels of the people," he said.