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Upgrade academic levels, Muslim leaders advised
The Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje (centre), receives an award from the leaders of Nabugabo Swadaka, a charity organisation which spearheaded the training of the imams, at the UMSC headquarters in Old Kampala on January 8, 2022. PHOTO/SHABIBAH NAKIRIGYA
What you need to know:
- The trainers of the imams said many imams are not well grounded in Islamic teachings and practices.
Muslim leaders have been urged to upgrade their academic levels if they are to improve the well-being of those they are leading and contribute to the development of the country.
Speaking during the closure of a month-long training for imams from hard-to-reach areas in Entebbe, Wakiso District on Sunday, the chairperson of Nabugabo Swadaka, a charity organisation which spearheaded the training, advised Muslim leaders to upgrade their education levels and warned against disunity.
“We are now focusing on capacity building through the training of imams across the country. We noticed gaps and decided to empower our imams. We want them to be participants in the development of our country,” Mr Kaganda said.
He added that several imams need more training in line with their duties and Islamic teaching.
“We have trained imams on how they can deliver their sermons, prepare dead bodies for burial, and perform individual and congregation prayers and marriage ceremonies (Nikah),” he said.
Mr Kaganda urged outgoing Muslim leaders to train others to become imams.
“The training also aims at having imams who contribute to the country’s economy because we have realised that several imams have developed a habit of asking for money, especially during the Friday prayers, which is not allowed in the Islamic teaching,” he said.
At least 60 imams from different parts of the country underwent training.
The head of Islamic teaching (dawar) at Nabugabo Swadaka, Mr Rashid Kafuuma, said: “We selected top leaders from different districts for the training.”
The districts include Kamwenge, Kyegegwa, Mitooma, Mbarara, Rakai, Bukomansimbi, Masaka, Luweero, Kalungu, Butambala, Wakiso, Mpigi, Kiboga, Kyenjojo, and Gomba.
Mr Nasur Abdallah, a group vice chairperson, said more than 200 imams have undergone training since the initiative started five years ago.
“We are complementing Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) efforts in training imams. We are giving them knowledge. Our focus is on the village imams. We bring them to Kampala once a year to learn their religion and give them modern leadership skills and knowledge,” Mr Nasur said.
Mr Sadiq Kalule, an imam from Bukomansimbi District who attended the training, said: “We have realised that in the hard-to-reach areas, the only imam in the region has all the responsibilities related to Islamic teaching and when they are not well versed in what they are doing, they end up making mistakes.”
Mr Kalule said the training will differentiate them from the fake imams.
At the weekend, the imams and the leadership of Nabugabo Swadaka met the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje at the UMSC headquarters in Old Kampala.
Sheikh Mubajje commended Nabugabo Swadaka for coming up with the idea of empowering imams and other development projects.
The UMSC leadership promised to support the initiatives.
