ISLAM
Judaism
| Christianity
How are the roles of leadership and authority exercised?
by John Kaltner
Most
imams have some kind of formal education in Islamic theology,
although this is not a requirement for the office. Any good Muslim
with an unblemished reputation and a well-developed understanding
of the faith is qualified to function in this capacity. Those who
have attained a degree in Islamic theology have normally done so
at one of the many centers of learning found throughout the Muslim
world.
In
a small number of countries, the imams are assigned to
mosques by the government. This is commonly done throughout the
world when the mosque in question is a prominent one of historical
importance. Generally speaking, the lack
of an institutional hierarchy means there is no overseeing body
that determines which imam serves where. Such decisions
are usually made at the local level by the members of the individual
mosque.
A major
responsibility of the imam is to be the leader during the
five prescribed prayer times throughout the day. This entails standing
facing the mihrab, the niche that indicates the direction
toward Mecca, with his back to the congregation. All in attendance
face in the same direction behind the imam, and they take their
lead from him on when to do the prayers, bows, and protestations
that comprise Islamic prayer.
The
imam’s role in leading communal prayer is the primary
reason why the office is reserved for men. The various body movements
of the prayer cycle would put a woman in a potentially embarrassing
physical position in front of the praying men, a situation to be
avoided. The distractions that would result from having members
of the opposite sex in close proximity to one another is an additional
reason often cited for separating the men and women during prayer.
Another
important task the imam performs is to give the sermon
at the noon prayer gathering on Friday, the holy day of the week
in Islam. At a particular point in the service, he moves over to
the pulpit, a symbol of his authority, and reads a portion of the
Qur’an to the congregation. In countries where Arabic is not
the native language, the text is first read in Arabic and then translated
into the local language.
After
the reading is concluded, the imam then delivers the sermon, which
usually draws upon the Qur’an passage or comments on some
aspect of it. As is the case in similar addresses given by worship
leaders in Judaism and Christianity, the imam’s sermon
typically contains a combination of textual analysis, moral instruction,
and exhortation on how to apply the reading’s message to one’s
personal life.
In
addition to these formal activities, the imam serves in
a variety of capacities that mirror very closely those associated
with priests, ministers, and rabbis. He is the person to whom members
of his mosque turn in matters related to their spiritual wellbeing.
He offers advice and council to those who are experiencing problems
in their personal or professional lives. He visits the sick and
the dying and attempts to comfort them and their loved ones. He
is involved in the religious education of his congregation on both
the individual and communal levels. When they have questions regarding
what Islam teaches about a particular social issue, they turn to
him.
There
is no ordination service or similar ceremony that officially designates
someone an imam and formally recognizes his readiness to
function as a leader. Similarly, Islam lacks any sacraments or other
rituals that can only be performed by him and therefore set him
apart from the rest of Muslims. Any male member of the community
can lead prayer, give the sermon, and officiate at a funeral or
wedding.
Consequently,
there is a very strong sense
of equality among all Muslims because there is no group or class
of individuals whose role in the community gives them a special
status or distinguishes them from
the rest by virtue of their ability to perform certain functions
reserved only for them. Those in a position of authority
are no different from the others, and their authority is always
exercised for the good of the group as a whole.
As
noted above, in Shi`a Islam various religious leaders play leadership
roles in the absence of the hidden imam. These are jurists
and theologians who are trained in the religious sciences and therefore
qualified to lead the community on behalf of its missing leader.
These men play a more prominent role than the imam in Sunni
Islam since their authority extends beyond leading prayer and delivering
the weekly sermon. Leaders with titles like Hujjat al-Islam
(“Proof of Islam”) and Ayatollah possess a great deal
of authority because they are able to perform important tasks like
render legal verdicts and formulate doctrine.
Copyright
©2006 John Kaltner
John
Kaltner is a member of the Department of Religious Studies
at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee where he teaches courses
in Bible, Islam, and Arabic. Among his books are Islam:
What Non-Muslims Should Know (2003); Inquiring
of Joseph: Getting to Know a Biblical Character through the Qu’ran
(2003); Ishmael
Instructs Isaac: An Introduction to the Qur’an for Bible Readers
(Collegeville: Liturgical Press/Michael Glazier, 1999).
Excerpts
from What Do Our Neighbors Believe?: Questions and Answers on
Judaism, Christianity and Islam by Howard Greenstein, Kendra
Hotz, and John Kaltner are used by permission from Westminster John
Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky. The book will be available for
purchase in December 2006.
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