AN Islamic group, Daaru-s Sa’aadah Islamic Centre, has organised a leadership training programme for imams in Kwara State.
The programme, with the theme ‘Sound Imam, Sound Jama’ah’, was held in Ajase Ipo, Irepodun Local Government Area.
It was the first time the programme was held in the state since 2016 when the centre, based in Ogun State, started the initiative.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Imam of Ajase-Ipo, Sheikh Taofik Aliyu Atoloye, said the community had longed for such a programme that could impact Islamic practice and understanding positively for the imams.
“This conference and training will help to preserve Islam through enlightenment of clerics who will in turn guide people towards righteousness,” Sheikh Atoloye said.
The Olupo of Ajase-Ipo, Oba Ismail Yahaya Atoloye Alebiosu, thanked the organisers of the conference and promised continued support for the initiative.
The first guest speaker, Professor AbdulRasaq Abdulmajeed Alaro, in a lecture titled ‘Responsibilities and Duties of Imam’, said that imam means responsibility as it is not just a title.
He, therefore, charged imams to wake up to the responsibility of leading their congregations in line with the dictates of Islam.
Alaro said the responsibility of the imam extends beyond leading the congregation in prayer, noting that, “The mosque is an educational avenue for people to learn. It is a place for conflict resolution and communal judgment.”
He urged imams to revive the mosque to serve the needs of Muslims, stressing that, “The Imam should endeavour to always lead the congregation in prayer, be a role model and also a spiritual guide to his congregation through his sermons and preachings.”
Professor Alaro said: “He should encourage the oneness of Allah and not associate partners with Almighty Allah which is the basis of the Islamic faith.
“The imam is given social responsibility to encourage unity among the congregation and he should show concern for the well-being of the congregation.”
“The imam also has an economic role in looking after the welfare of the people by encouraging the wealthy members of his congregation to render financial assistance and empowerment to the indigent members of the congregation.”
The second speaker, the Chief Imam of Lekki Central Mosque, Lagos, Dr Ridwanullah Jamiu, encouraged imams to be positive agents of national unity.
“The mosque is a community centre and the imam is a symbol of unity for all Muslims who, irrespective of their ethnicity, culture and political leanings, line up behind him in prayer. The imam is meant to foster national unity and strengthen it by encouraging mutual love among the people, irrespective of differences,” Dr Jamiu said.
He added that the mosque is not only a place where people come to pray but an avenue for togetherness and service that cuts across social, economic, intellectual and psychological aspects of the congregants.
“The mosque is meant to be a multipurpose and educational centre to learn about faith, to be empowered economically through zakat and sadaqah and a place of fellowship where people are brought together, irrespective of their social and economic statuses.”
A member of the organising committee, Imam Ismail Yusuf, said the conference was organised to awaken imams, mostly in the southern, Yoruba communities, to their roles and expose them to modern trends so that they could discharge their roles as spiritual leaders.
The convener of the conference, Hajiya Rahmatallahi Akansin, said the objective of the conference was to increase the knowledge of leaders of the Islamic faith who are saddled with the role of correcting the ills of the society.
One of the participants and spokesperson of clerics in the Ajase-Ipo community, Alhaji Abdulmaruf Balogun, expressed gratitude to the organisers for the “very timely” conference.
“This training is highly commendable and I want to appreciate the organisers for this wonderful initiative which is very timely and necessary at this moment and we have gained tremendously from the various speakers,” Alhaji Balogun said.
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