The Friday platform

A shocking yet brave official statement by the minister of Islamic affairs was made during a conference on facing extremism and terrorism organised recently by Al Quds Centre for Political Studies in Amman.

The minister said that there are 2,700 mosque imams who are not academically qualified to deliver speeches in mosques.

What can be more dangerous than 2,700 microphones used every week by unqualified people without an academic background to address hundreds of thousands of people about diverse religious topics?

One should not be wondering, then, why there are fans of killing and extremism in our homeland.

I kept trying to not remind myself that the godfather of “Daesh” Abu Mosab Al Zarqawi hailed from Zarqa. 

He established the most savage killing gang in recent history, in the name of religion. Yet few have asked how it happened.

There surely are many reasons, including poverty, lack of education and critical thinking, which create fertile ground for absorption of misinformation on religious thought.

It is not enough to hire a university graduate to perform the Friday sermon in a mosque and it is not enough just to monitor and train him.

The action that needs to be taken should be revolutionary and as serious as our problems.

This is a national call on doctors, engineers, scientists, academics, respected businessmen, entrepreneurs and positive change makers to pick up those microphones and climb on the steps of “minbars” to talk about everything: science, art, values, laws, inventions, politics, economics and religion under a weekly national theme addressing our priorities and issues.

Friday’s sermon is supposed to be a weekly meeting to discuss either a current issue or to talk about useful topics, as was the case with Friday prayers during the times of Prophet Mohammad.

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, in partnership with respected educational institutions, can launch an initiative whereby the door is open to citizens to register and apply as Friday speakers.

They should be interviewed and the best accepted to guide timely talks in the city based on clear criteria and strategic plans.

Hazem Tarawneh,
Amman