DUSHANBE, January 10, 2012, Asia-Plus — In 2011, the Committee on Religious Affairs (CRA) under the Government of Tajikistan organized 11 short-term seminars for imam-khatibs of Friday mosques, the CRA head Abdurahim Kholiqov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 10.
According to him, the seminars for imam-khatibs to teach about religious education and role of women in society were organized in cooperation with UNFPA Country Office in Tajikistan and other international organizations.
“Imam-khatibs studied mainly legal issues, including religious freedom, as well as issues related to specialized and basic religious education and role of clerics in preventing epidemics, including HIV/AIDS, and ensuring gender equality,” Kholiqov noted.
The seminars were conducted by specialists from President’s Executive Office, Academy of Sciences, Constitutional Court, State Committee for National Security (SCNS), CRA, Islamic Center as well as representatives of local authorities of Sughd and Dushanbe municipal government.
“Besides, five imam-khatibs of Friday mosques were sent to Turkey and thirteen other imam-khatibs were sent to Kuwait to take training courses,” Kholiqov noted.
Special commission reportedly vetted the professionalism of 3,356 imams and imam-khatibs; 106 of the failed a test and more than 300 others were given time to improve their work.
The law stipulates that imams and imam-khatibs of mosques are selected by the appropriate state bodies in charge of religious affairs. The government has organized attestations of imams, quizzing them of their knowledge of Islamic principles since 2007.
