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| Britain |
| Only 6% of British imams speak English as first language |
| 2007-07-06 |
| Only six per cent of imams preaching in the UK speak English as a first language, according to a study into the ability of Muslim religious leaders to adapt to life in the UK. The research suggest that only eight per cent of imams preaching in British mosques were born in the UK. The study, carried out by Chester University on behalf of the BBC, aimed to measure the ability of imams to adapt to the needs of modern Britain. The report, based on a survey of 300 mosques, acknowledges the use of English is becoming more prevalent at Friday sermons but says more investigation is required to assess the frequency and quality. Professor Ron Geaves, the author of the report, said: "The study reveals a deeply conservative body of individuals maintaining traditional languages, types of qualification and still largely recruited from the place of origin." The imams were "overwhelmingly" qualified in the traditional Islamic curriculum, which he said had changed little since medieval times. He added: "Although there are social religious and political reasons that drive a need to transform the imamate to a 21st century British context there is as yet little sign of the mosque imams or their employers being ready to professionalise." The study found that 50 per cent of imams are from Pakistan, 20 per cent from Bangladesh and 15 per cent from India. Some 66 per cent speak Urdu as a first language with 52 per cent giving sermons in that language. The results of the study are published on the day that a group calling themselves Muslims United have launched a campaign to pre-empt possible divisions in the community in the wake of the attempted terror attacks in London and Glasgow. The "Not In Our Name" campaign has been launched with a series of newspaper advertisements condemning terrorism. The adverts praise the emergency services and the Government's "calm and proportionate" reaction to the failed attacks. The advertisements carry a quotation from the Koran saying: "Whoever kills an innocent soul, it is as if he killed the whole of mankind. And whoever saves one, it is as if he saved the whole of mankind." |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #1 Only six per cent of imams preaching in the UK speak English as a first language, according to a study into the ability of Muslim religious leaders to adapt to life in the UK. The research suggest that only eight per cent of imams preaching in British mosques were born in the UK. I suppose it would be too much to ask that they might identify this as the actual problem and not just a curious statistic? The imams were "overwhelmingly" qualified in the traditional Islamic curriculum, which he said had changed little since medieval times. Makes sense, chopping off heads, treating women like property and divine rule were all rather popular back then. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-07-06 17:05 |