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| Africa North |
| Algeria drafts conduct code for imams |
| 2010-07-22 |
| [Maghrebia] Algeria's Ministry of Religious Affairs has drafted a new code of conduct for imams after an incident in which several such leaders raised the spectre of Black Decade-style extremism by refusing to stand for the national anthem. The code will be sent out by religious affairs departments across wilayas at the start of Ramadan. "This [code] has been made necessary by our opening up to the world and the entry of a number of different Islamic currents into Algeria," a ministry official in charge of communications, Adda Fellahi, announced in Algiers on July 11th. He added that "there needed to be protection for society, the state and the religious institutions themselves, to prevent a drift away from the nation's established position". Fellahi said the code, which is aimed at imams, requires respect for Algeria's laws and religious obligations. It also stresses the importance of respecting the Malekite and Ibadhite rites, and for obligations such as reading the Qur'an "in the 'Ouarch' version, the reading of the 'Sahih Boukhari' and the 'Hizb Erateb', and the teaching of fiqh in mosques". Algerian officials, Islamic groups and religious scholars have denounced a handful of imams who refused to stand up for the national anthem on June 28th, when it was played at an Algiers meeting attended by Religious Affairs Minister Bouabdellah Ghlamallah. Imams and other Algerians contacted by Magharebia had mixed reactions to the announcement of the new code of conduct. Mehdi Ilyés, 36, who preaches in a mosque in a working-class district of Algiers, said: "I'm worried that the ministry is going to take advantage of this to impose politically correct speech, and there will be very little leeway for imams." "I agree that we need to respect the laws of the republic, but at the same time, an imam should still have a certain amount of room to manoeuvre, otherwise he becomes nothing more than a civil servant," said Ilyés. Imam Djamel Sahli, 41, said: "We have a very delicate mission to accomplish, and we must do this within a well-regulated framework. There are lines which we simply must not cross under any circumstances." "The code that the ministry is talking about will lay down the boundaries for our preaching and it's a very positive thing, particularly for young imams who can be influenced by religious currents from outside our own society," said Sahli. Worshippers contacted by Magharebia had more positive reactions to the code. Mohamed Malhi, a sales manager attending Friday prayers, said: "It's good that the ministry is taking action. It's a serious thing if imams are preaching contrary to the country's rites and established religious position." "With this code, the imams have been given notice, the lines have been laid down, and they just need to keep within them," he added. |
| Posted by:Fred |