Role of Imams of Mosques in Muslim community

It is well-known that the Imams of Mosques have a great role to play at their Friday speeches in dealing with the important issues of concern to the Muslim communities. But this role is, however, limited only to their religious duties in Dawa "cal'l on Muslims to remind them to abide by the Islamic principles and commands.

This is known in Islam as "commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong by providing a mechanism whereby both the Muslim Ummah and as individuals can fight off various social, moral and spiritual ills and maintain a healthy and dynamic life.

   

There is a very dangerous phenomenon that is nowadays taking place at mosques in Fridays Speeches, whereas there are some Imams who act as if they are spokespersons of the government.

Fridays orations, I think, should be focused on the issues that concern the Muslim communities by calling on both rulers and citizens to do good and abstain from doing bad. And at the same time they (the Imams) should always side with the truth and right path only and should not be involved in such things by adopting political views or taking side with a political party against the others and talking in the name of Islam .

 In the last few months, I used to pray each Friday prayer "Aljum'a" in a different Mosque in Khartoum State, but unfortunately I found most of the Imams talking on behalf of the ruling party when they deal with the issue of the ongoing conflicts in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile States, I am not going to ask those Imams for not talking about such issues, but I would certainly ask them for not deal with this issue as a religious matter, as if there are two parties one of Muslims and the other are unbelievers! In fact it is a political and not religious conflict because the both sides are Muslims, and there is a verse in the Holy Quran says, in its meaning, " And if two groups of the believers were in a fight so reconcile between them; And if one of them oppressed the other so fight the one who oppresses until it complies with Allah's command; So if it complies then reconcile between them with justice; And be fair! For Allah likes who are fair. Indeed the believers are brothers so reconcile among your brothers; And fear Allah so that you may receive mercy". Translation of: Ayat 9-10, Surat AlHujurat. And there is also a Hadith for the prophet Mohmmed (PBUH) says: "'If two Muslims take out their swords to fight each other, then both of them will be from amongst the people of the Hell-Fire.'

I have mentioned this evidence and these arguments not to issue a Fatwa (religious pronouncement) because I am not authorized to pronounce Fatwas, but through my understanding to this matters I can judge on such issues and also because we have informed by the prophet that "If one of you see something wrong, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart and this is the weakest faith."

In fact these Imams they do not even do all their religious duties, because they do not deal with the most important issues that affect directly our daily life, such as the ongoing economic crisis and the increasing prices hikes of which most of the Islamic Ummah suffer but they, instead, take aside with the government and avoid talking in such matters.

Another important issue I would like to comment and make a suggestion, not a fatwa on it! This issue is the using of external loudspeakers for the prayers and Fridays speeches.

We all know that there are always those sicks who are suffer so much from these external loudspeakers because they can not even sleep because of the loud sounds of these external speakers while the are in dire need of comfort and tranquility, what I'm trying to say is that, I suggest to use external loudspeakers for the prayers call only and using eternal ones, to be fixed inside the Mosques, for the prayers and Fridays speeches.

In fact there were no loudspeakers at the time of the Prophet Mohmmed (PBUH) but the need of using of these devices imposed by the advanced reality of life because of the so much noise created by cars, factories and humans themselves. Nevertheless most Islamic countries are applying what I have suggested.

I am saying these viewpoints and I'm pretty sure that I will be misquoted and there will be some Muslims, who take the Quran verses, and Hadith literally, will disagree with me, therefore I am hereby to declare that I am saying this as a committed Muslim to the prophet speech in telling the truth.

"O Allah have I conveyed your Messenger' speeches and precepts to the Ummah?'', "O Allah, bear witness.''!