Call For Elected Imams In Italian Mosques
The new leader of the Moroccan community appeals forimams to have fixed-term mandate, a knowledge of Italian and tolerance
Operation “Transparent Mosques” is under way at the initiative of Italy’s largest Muslim community, the Moroccans. The campaign has started with a very specific demandfor the direct election of imams, the leaders of collective prayer, who should have a good knowledge of Italian and preach moderate Islam. One aim is to introduce a healthy democratic principle, for the lack of democracy penalises Moroccans, who make up the majority of believers but are marginalised in decision-making bodies. A second objective is to mount a campaign against extremist Islamic ideology.
The initiative has involved the consulate general of Morocco, which has distributed three forms to Italy’s roughly 230,000 Moroccan residents with a request to provide the information necessary to enhance knowledge of the country’s imams, mosques and Muslim associations. While Morocco has an understandable interest in safeguarding its community from contagion by radical Islam, the initiative is taking place without any contribution from Italy’s political institutions. The fact is that in the name of the secular state, Italy continues to leave the political management of the crucial, explosive question of Islam on its territory to fundamentalist Islamic organisations and foreign countries.
The turning point was reached on 26 February this year when Suad Sbai was elected to the presidency of the newly formed confederation of Moroccan community associations in Italy. It is the first time in Europe that a woman has taken on such a role. Ms Sbai, who is an Italian citizen, was elected unanimously by community representatives,a democratic process that she wants to see adopted for the selection of imams. “I have asked, among other things in observance of the statutes of the associations with which mosques are registered, that the post of imam should be elected by believers for a one or two-year mandate, to permit the rotation of qualified, representative individuals.
Enough of lifetime imams, irremovable Muslim leaders and mosques turned into centres of religious and ideological power! There should also be qualifying criteria for those who want to stand as candidates. Above all, aspiring imams should have a good knowledge of Italian language and culture, and should be able to make themselves understood by all those, including many Moroccans, who do not know the classical Arabic used today for prayers and sermons. Equally, the imam should be above all suspicion, and should not have a “forked tongue”. That is, imams should not speak in a civilised manner outside the mosque, and belligerently inside. An imam should be a complete citizen who obeys the law, and is an authentic expression of the majority of the faithful, not of ideologies that are alien to our values”.
Ms Sbai continues, “We want to see monitoring of the comments on the Koran that circulate in mosques, of the religious books and of the videocassettes that often extol Jihad as holy war on Christians, Jews and the West. Immigrants are fragile. They already have immense difficulties in tackling integration-related problems. It doesn’t need much for them to fall under the influence of the fundamentalists. We are also asking for checks on the Arabic language texts used with children in Koranic schools. We do not want books to impart ideas that conflict with a healthy upbringing in Italian society”.Ms Sbai’s message is extremely clear. “We do not want fundamentalists in the mosques. We want devout Muslims to be able to pray, without pressure from the fundamentalist ideologies”.
A
hmed Habous, a Moroccan-born Italian citizen and lecturer in North African anthropology at the Università Orientale in Naples, stresses the need to reinforce the secular aspect. “There are large numbers of secular Muslims in Italy too. I absolutely agree about the direct election of imams and complete transparency in mosques, which today have become high-risk locations. Regarding the general representation of Muslims in Italy, I think that secular spaces have to be created, not to clash with religion, but for people who want to study Arabic with a non-religious approach, for example. Because the dramatic thing in Italy is that people look on Arab culture as an essentially religious culture”.
On the specific issue of imams, Mr Habous adds,“I prefer imams to be trained in Italy.In any case, imams should have a command of Italian. Nor should they be itinerant. Imams should be visible and representative.Inside the mosque, there should be texts written in Italian, as well as Arabic. Everyone should have the opportunity to obtain information and to find out.Mosques should not be secret places. There has to be maximum transparency and maximum serenity”. Fakhita Haouari, a cultural mediator and another Moroccan-born Italian citizen resident in Milan, stresses social issues. “I agree with the transparency operation in mosques, and with the direct election of imams promoted by our confederation.
But in my view, we have to concentrate on the problem of women, to ensure illiteracy is eliminated and promote women’s awareness of their rights as human beings.When women have full rights, including religious rights, then mosques will be more peaceful places”.
Magdi Allam
http://www.corriere.it/english/artic...22/magdi.shtml
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2005
Call For Elected Imams In Italian Mosques
Re: Call For Elected Imams In Italian Mosques
Exactly, cara. It's our country! ITALIA AGLI ITALIANI! 
AL LAVORO! 
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