Support for mosques – Switzerland’s first training course for imams is popular – News
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In Zurich there is a new course for Muslim pastors and religious education teachers. The participants are enthusiastic.
“I would like non-Muslims to trust me more. As an imam, he has Swiss training,” says Kaser Alasaad. He directs the largest mosque in the canton of Zurich in Volketswil. Hundreds of Muslims attend his prayer every Friday.
Kaser Alasaad is one of twenty people attending the new imam training course in the canton of Zurich. The offer fills a gap. So far, there has been no such training opportunity in Switzerland. The problem: Many pictures come from abroad and sometimes know little about Switzerland. But that would be important, because the imams are important reference persons for almost 400,000 Muslims in the country.
In the canton of Zurich, spiritual leaders are now receiving eight days of further training. The “Zurich Competence” course is also intended for teachers of religion or youth workers in Muslim communities. Many of them work voluntarily in mosques. Without education.
The course for Muslim carers started in March. Almost twice as many people registered as could be accepted. “There was a lot of interest right from the start,” says project manager Myrta Grubenmann. “This clearly shows that this offer meets a need.”
Radicalization is a topic in the course
It is the need to organize better as a community in Switzerland. This is shown by the questions of the participants: What is important regarding youth work? How can we better organize our mosque in terms of staff and finances? Or also: Which specialist departments can I contact in the event of radicalisation?
Just because we are Muslims does not automatically expose us to extremism.
Various participants in the course emphasize that radicalization has not been an issue in their mosque so far. “Just because we are Muslims doesn’t automatically mean that we come into contact with extremism,” says Imam Kaser Alasaad. During his six years as an imam in Volketswil, nobody became radicalized. “But as the imam of one of the largest mosques, I have to be prepared.”
However, extremism prevention is only one aspect of the training. “For us, it’s about strengthening the network between society, authorities and Muslim communities,” says Hansjörg Schmid. He is director of the Swiss Center for Islam and Society at the University of Friborg and has helped to shape the further education.
Talk to other imams
In the course, the participants design their own projects. Someone has started a cooperation with the open youth work. Two other participants are organizing an “open day” in their mosque. “This is how relationships are created that have an impact beyond the project,” says Schmid.
Networking with each other is also important for religion teachers, youth workers and imams. “We get to know each other here, exchange our experiences and give each other tips,” says Suad Salihu, an employee of the Regensdorf Islamic Association. Other participants also praise this exchange.
The first imam course will last until the end of June. A second course will take place at the beginning of next year. How the pilot project will continue after that is open.
Imam Kaser Alasaad has more courses ready. Not just in the canton of Zurich, but throughout Switzerland. «Imams should get to know the Swiss culture and the law and know how to deal with other people here. This requires further training.”