Australian eJournal of Theology 19.1 (April 2012)
Friday Sermons and the Question of home-trained
Imams in Australia
Ismail Albayrak
Australian Catholic University
Abstract: Imams in the mosques wield a considerable amount of influence within the
diverse Muslim communities in Australia. Similarly to Western Europe, requests have
recently been made for imams to be trained in Australia. The question is, ‘Can imams
who have come to Australia from various overseas countries which do not have proper
democracies, and who thus face both language and cultural barriers, communicate
Australian values to young Australian-born Muslims through their sermons and
leadership?’ Many think that there is only one proposed solution, namely producing
home-trained Australian imams. This article investigates this demand in the light of
Friday sermons delivered in two major mosques in Melbourne. It also argues that there
is no single institution in Australia for training imams. Bearing in mind the diverse
nature of Muslim communities, this article suggests that, through the establishment of
an advisory body via the collaboration of various Australian organisations, these imams
from overseas should participate in short but concentrated programs to make them
more familiar with Australian values, multiculturalism, integration, inter-faith dialogue,
and common moral and ethical issues.
Key Words: Imams, Friday sermons, ethics, training
1. INTRODUCTION
Australians are now aware of al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda-like terrorist group whose
members planned an attack on Sydney's Holsworthy army barracks in 2009.
Subsequent newspaper reactions generally focused on the need for a more intensive
screening of immigrants for potential terrorist threats. While it does not seem that
discussions about home-grown terrorism and immigrant terror threats will disappear any
time soon, Victorian MP Adem Somyurek’s analytical article draws attention to a different
aspect of the topic. 1 In summary, Mr Somyurek questions how imams in Australia, most of
whom have come from non-democratic countries, and face both language and cultural
barriers, can possibly communicate Australian values to young Australian-born Muslims. 2
In other words, Somyurek points out that imams, who are supposed to guide their
congregations in the mosque on how to respond and adapt to their new country, are
Adem Somyurek, “Home-grown Muslim role models can help turn tide of hate”, The Age (11 August 2009).
The expression ‘Australian values’ is a very generic one, and here simply refers to a genuine commitment to
coming to an understanding of the way of life in Australia, together with strong sense of belonging to Australia. I do
believe that Australian imams, by their presence, play a significant role in encouraging their communities to
contribute to the mosaic of Australian society.
1
2
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Albayrak / Friday Sermons
themselves trained far away from Australia. As a solution, Mr Somyurek suggests that
Australia needs to train and produce its own imams who can relate to young Australians
and can communicate Australian values effectively.
Such a recommendation is not unique to Australia. Indeed, almost every country in
Europe has debated fiercely on this important topic. Both government officials and NGOs
have made various requests to be able to train imams locally in the country in which they
are to work. Interestingly enough, in some countries there have been local initiatives to
start the local training of imams. 3 In this article, I would like to question the readiness of
Australia to start training imams. I will focus my argument on the status of the Friday
sermon (khutba) and the general characteristics of sermons in two central mosques in
Melbourne. I include an analysis of the content of the sermons. Finally, I will relate my
findings to Mr Somyurek’s well-intentioned recommendations in order to demonstrate
that these recommendations are unrealistic and impractical within the context of existing
Australian institutions. At this point, I do not intend to engage in an analysis of the
complex relationship that exists between state and church.
2. THE STATUS OF THE KHUTBAS (FRIDAY SERMONS) IN ISLAM
Although we do not come across the word khutbah in the Qur’an, we frequently see the
expression in the prophetic traditions. However, it is important to note that the oral
communication of traditions was part and parcel of the Arabian society long before Islam,
and early Muslims continued this way of communication in their daily life. Many Muslim
jurists consider the expression ‘remembrance of God’ in verse 62:9 — ‘O ye who believe!
When the call is heard for the prayer of the day of congregation, hasten unto remembrance
4
of God and leave your trading’ — as the incentive for the Friday sermon, khutbah. There
have been various discussions among Muslim scholars as to the nature, content and
language of the sermon (whether in Arabic or any other language), as well as on the
number of addressees, and the exact time of delivering the sermon. At this juncture, such
juristic details are not relevant to our topic; suffice to say that Friday sermons are an
inseparable part of the Friday prayer, and therefore Muslims take them very seriously.
When we consider the sermons of the Prophet, and of the early caliphs and the sages, we
realise that their scope was vast. Thus, it is inaccurate to think of these sermons solely
from a religious perspective, since, in addition to their focus on the ethical and religious
formation of the community, they also play a significant role in uniting the community
both socially and politically. For this reason, it has been common for caliphs throughout
history to ask officials to read sermons on their behalf, in order to display the sovereignty
5
of the caliph and the state. Consequently, sermons also became a reflection of political
3
See Jean-François Husson, “Training Imams in Europe: The Current Status”, King Baudouin Foundation 2007.
Online: http://www.kbs-frb.be/uploadedFiles/KBSFRB/05)_Pictures,_documents_and_external_sites/09)_Publications/PUB_1694_TrainingImamsEurope.pdf
(accessed January 20, 2011); Niels Sorrells, “Germany experiments with training, certifying imams who interpret
Europe for immigrants”, Religion News Service 2010. Online:
http://www.cleveland.com/world/index.ssf/2010/12/germany_experiments_with_train.html (accessed March 10,
2011). France and Germany are two important examples in this regard. I personally believe in benefiting from the
experiences of other countries, but one should not disregard country-specific circumstances.
4
Abu Bakr Muhammad b. Ahmad al-Sarakhsi, al-Mabsut (Beirut: Dar al-Ma’rifah, 1989) vol. 2, 120.
Mustafa Baktır, ‘Hutbe’, Türkiye Diyanet Vakfı İslam Ansiklopedisi (İstanbul: Diyanet Vakfı Pub, 1998), Vol, 18,
425-8: at 426.
5
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Albayrak / Friday Sermons
power. Be that as it may, Friday sermons today continue to have a special religious status
among Muslims, and attendees are forbidden to speak among themselves during the
delivery of sermons. 6 Sermons require absolute silence and only the imam can speak;
anyone else who speaks, or even asks another person not to speak, is acting against
Islamic law. This brief explanation demonstrates the importance of sermons and the way
in which they effectively convey messages to attendees.
3. ANALYSIS OF FRIDAY SERMONS
3.1.
Preliminary observation
It is important to note that the Muslim community in Australia is not a united entity. We
should therefore speak of Muslim communities, for Muslims come from many different
countries and diverse backgrounds. While Islam is the general umbrella term under which
these communities are gathered, Muslims from different cultures and nationalities
naturally have similar but distinctive features. I would like to share my own experiences,
having attended the Friday prayers and sermons regularly at two different Melbourne
mosques over the past two and a half years.
During the first year (January 2008–December 2008), I regularly attended a
centrally located mosque in Broadmeadows, which has a majority-Turkish congregation.
7
The following year (December 2008–April 2010), I attended the Preston Mosque (the
actual name of the mosque is Masjid Umar b. al-Khattab), which has an Arab-majority
congregation. The former official Mufti of Australia, 8 Shaykh Fahmi al-Imam, attends the
Preston Mosque regularly, and offers sermons there from time to time. I listened to a total
of 42 sermons at the Broadmeadows Mosque and 44 sermons at the Preston Mosque.
Nearly 1400 Muslims congregate at the Broadmeadows Mosque 9 while 1200 Muslims
10
congregate at the Preston Mosque. The sizes of these congregations clearly indicate that
the imams can wield a considerable degree of influence within their communities. During
the two and half years of my attendance at these two mosques, I discovered some
differences between the two Muslim communities and the challenges facing the imams,
who need to be aware of and relate to the various needs and cultures.
The Friday sermons at the Preston Mosque are often offered by imams from
Lebanon and various other Arab nations, who are brought to Australia by the Mosque
committee. The Broadmeadows Mosque, with its largely Turkish congregation, has an
imam who is assigned by the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey.
These imams are normally assigned for a period of about four years, after which the
serving imam is replaced.
Abu al-Husayn al-Hajjaj al-Muslim, al-Sahih, Bab fi al-insat yawm al-jum’ah,( Riyad: Dar Tayba, 2006) vol. 1,
382)
7
I missed some of the Friday sermons during this period because I went overseas several times.
6
The new Grand Mufti of Australia is Dr. Ibrahim Abu Muhammad.
It is important to note that the same topic and sermon are delivered by other Turkish imams in seven different
Turkish mosques around Victoria. Thus, more than 3000 people across Victoria actually listen to each sermon.
10
We have not considered Shi’ite Muslims, as they constitute a very small minority of the Muslims in Australia. This
topic, I think, requires further study.
8
9
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Albayrak / Friday Sermons
The imams and preachers who offer sermons at the Preston Mosque have had
extensive religious training and education in their country of origin, through either
traditional methods or a university education. As a result, they are confident and aware of
topics relating to Islamic traditions. In addition, the majority of them recite the Qur’an
excellently. Their preparation and training are not the result of merely a couple of years’
education, but reflect many years of growing in knowledge and practising their religion.
11
Consequently, these imams and preachers are able to answer questions put to them by
their congregations meaningfully and rationally.
The Turkish imams come from somewhat different educational backgrounds. They
are graduates of Theology faculties of universities in Turkey and, on the completion of
their degrees, undergo a specific three-year training program set up by the Presidency of
Religious Affairs. Their education is comprehensive, and they have a good deal of
experience. They also receive regular support from the Turkish Attaché who is responsible
for the social and religious affairs of the Turkish community in Melbourne.
While sermons are usually long at the Preston Mosque, short sermons are the order
of the day at the Broadmeadows Mosque. Sermons also include poems and proverbs from
12
the respective cultural backgrounds of the imams. The Broadmeadows Mosque offers its
sermons first in Turkish, then in English, whereas the Preston Mosque offers its sermons
first in Arabic, then in English. As the imam at the Broadmeadows Mosque also preaches
(maw’idhah) before the Friday sermon (khutbah), his sermons are shorter than those at
the Preston Mosque. It is also worth noting that the imam at the Preston Mosque delivers
his sermons extemporaneously, whereas the imam in the Broadmeadows Mosque
13
generally follows written text. Furthermore, both men and women attend the Friday
14
prayers at the Preston Mosque, while only men attend the Broadmeadows Mosque.
Other less important differences also exist, but they will not be discussed here, as they do
not relate directly to the subject matter of this paper.
3.2.
Classification of Sermons
Since I did not record the full text of each sermon, I base my analysis primarily on my
personal observations. In particular, I have focused on the use of key words and concepts.
Although I did note down some key words, significant anecdotes, main topics and themes
in my notebook, my analysis does not fulfil the requirement of full content analysis or data
analysis management. Rather, my goal is to give some idea of the use to which imams at
There is a distinction between preaching (maw’idhah or wa’adh) and sermons (khutbahs). Preaching is held
before the Friday prayer and sermon (khutbah), and is not compulsory. However, sermons (khutbahs) are an
essential part of Friday prayer. We observe that preaching is sometimes delivered by imams, while other
religious leaders in the community do so at other times.
12
Although some scholarly literature on the Islamic history of sermons (khutbas), homily (preaching and advice), and
the philosophy of preaching is available in English, it is quite limited compared to the extent of the literature in the
Turkish and Arabic languages. It has been noted that poems, proverbs and anecdotes are important elements of the
Friday sermons. Being raised with an exposure not only to knowledge, but also to the culture and literature, gives
overseas-trained imams an advantage in relating and articulating issues in Friday sermons from religious, cultural and
literary aspects.
13
The Turkish imam does not follow a written text in his preaching before the Friday sermon, but he does follow a
text in the sermons (khutbah).
14
In almost every mosque in Australia, women participate in prayer more during the month of Ramadan, but their
numbers are significantly lower during normal Friday prayers. It is not compulsory for women to attend the mosque
on Fridays, whereas it is compulsory for men.
11
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Albayrak / Friday Sermons
two important mosques in Melbourne put the opportunity of the Friday sermons to
increase the general and religious knowledge and religiosity-spirituality of their
congregations. To achieve this goal, we will first consider the sermon topics from three
perspectives. As the content of a sermon has an effect on the religious inclination and
formation of the people, it is essential to see how the selected topics address the
belief/faith (thought), actions (behaviour and worship), and emotions (spirituality) of
Muslims. In this analysis, we follow the format developed and applied by Dr. Ahmet Onay
in his examination of Turkish sermons. Onay prepared his work under the auspices of the
15
Supreme Board of Religious Affairs for the Presidency of the Turkish Republic. Before
the analysis, however, I provide a list of sermon subjects in the following tables:
Broadmeadows Mosque (Majority Muslims of Turkish descent)
Week Imams
Subjects
1
Imam A
Self questioning and re-evaluating the past year
2
Imam A Sincerity and intention
3
Imam A
Truthfulness and integrity
4
Imam A
The notion of piety, taqwa
5
Imam A
Love for the family of the Prophet (ahl al-bayt)
6
Imam A
The people of paradise and hell
7
Imam A
The noble birth of the Prophet
Dangerous habits and precautions/the Green Crescent (Turkish
8
Imam A
Temperance Society)
9
Imam A
The rights of women in Islam (Women’s Day)
10
Imam A
The acceptance of the Turkish National Anthem.
11
Imam B
Generosity
12
Imam A
Preventing the action of telling lies
13
Imam A
Prophetic examples
14
Imam A
23 April Festival of Children
15
Imam A
The importance of endowment in Islam (Week of endowment)
16
Imam A
The danger of backbiting
17
Imam A
The importance of youth in Islam
18
Imam A
Bushfires and the importance of helping one another
19
Imam A
The danger of envy, jealousy and holding grudges
20
Imam A
The importance of ritual prayer in Islam
21
Imam A
The notion of immigration in Islam (hijrah)
22
Imam A
Celebration of the heavenly journey of the Prophet (mi’raj)
23
Imam A
Importance of Ramadan and fasting
24
Imam B
Qur’an and its place in Islam
Celebration of 30th of August (The Festival of Victory) – Turkish
25
Imam A
National Holiday
26
Imam A
Celebration of the night of power (laylat al-qadr)
27
Imam A
The notion of brotherhood and love
28
Imam A
Relationship between relatives and its importance
29
Imam A
The notion of repentance
30
Imam A
The importance of family
31
Imam A
The notions of praise (hamd) and thanksgiving (shukr)
32
Imam A
The rights of neighbours
33
Imam A
The Festival of Sacrifice – Eid-ul Adha
15
Ahmet Onay, Diyanet Hutbelerinin İçerik Analizi. İslami Araştırmalar Dergisi, Vol, 17, 2004, 1-13.
33
AEJT 19.1 (April 2012)
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
Imam A
Imam A
Imam A
Imam A
Imam A
Imam A
Imam A
Imam A
Imam A
Albayrak / Friday Sermons
The notion of knowledge and how it is valued by Islam
The spiritual disease of two-facedness and hypocrisy
Covering up the mistakes of others
The duties of spouses towards each other
The day of Ashura (Noah’s pudding) 16
Codes of ethics
Spiritual balance between fear and hope
Commanding good and forbidding bad
The importance of mosques and their functions
Preston Mosque (Majority Muslims of Arab descent)
Week Imams
Subjects
1
Imam A 17 Backbiting, mocking and slander
Worldliness and love of fortune.
2
Imam A
Sub-subject: summer Qur’an courses for children
The importance of immigration (hijrah).
3
Imam A
Sub-subject: Israel’s attack on Gaza is mentioned.
4
Imam A
The place of women in Islam
5
Imam A
The notion of ego and whim
Bushfire in Victoria (and in Australia) and the importance of
6
Imam A
helping those affected by this calamity
7
Imam B
The meaning of Islam (from a religious context)
8
Imam B
The meaning of belief in One God (Allah)
The notion of material and spiritual ihsan (doing goodness as if
9
Imam A
you are constantly in the presence of God)
10
Imam B
The upbringing of children (specifically boys)
11
Imam B
Good manners and modesty
12
Imam B
Why families and societies are unhappy today
13
Imam A
The notion of thanks and why we see unthankful people
14
Imam B
Patience and the Prophet as an example
15
Imam B
Islam: Togetherness in theory and practice
16
Imam B
Competing in performing good deeds
17
Imam B
The compassion of God and the Prophet/Universality of Islam
18
Imam B
The notion of repentance in Islam
19
Imam B
Fasting in Ramadan
Islam: Togetherness in theory and practice (obedience to God
20
Imam C
and the Prophet)
Imam D
Importance of worship: fasting, ritual prayer, almsgiving and
21
(Overseas
other moral values
Guest)
Imam D
22
(Overseas Ramadan, almsgiving and the notion of paradise and hell
Guest)
Acceptance of the call to God and the Prophet: Unity and the
23
Imam B
continuation of good habits after Ramadan
Importance of ritual prayer (salat) and prayer with a
24
Imam B
congregation
16
It is important to note that celebration of this day has quite a different meaning and significance for Shi’ite
Muslims.
17
Imam A from Preston mosque is not the same imam from Broadmeadows.
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AEJT 19.1 (April 2012)
25
26
Imam B
Imam B
28
29
30
31
32
Imam E
Imam B
Imam B
Imam B
Imam B
27
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
Imam B
Imam B
Imam F
Imam B
Imam B
Imam B
Imam A
Imam B
Imam B
Imam B
Imam B
Imam B
Imam B
Albayrak / Friday Sermons
Muslim sources for religious questions and query
Meaning of Islam and being a Muslim
Lawful and unlawful matters in Islam/
The relationship between the Creator and creatures
Love of this world, the reality of death and the hereafter
Pilgrimage and the importance of sacrifice
Pilgrimage and patience. The notion of the Unity of God
Festive days and the unity of Muslims
The minor signs of the Day of Judgement – I
The minor signs of the Day of Judgement (the lawful and unlawful
in Islam) – II
The importance of immigration (hijrah) in the history of Islam
The minor signs of the Day of Judgement – III
The minor signs of the day of Judgement – IV
Introduction to the major sign of the Day of Judgement
Patience and the various types of patience
Major signs of the Day of Judgement
Moral diseases: Lies, dissemblance and hypocrisy
Meaning of the celebration of the birth of the Prophet
Moral diseases: Tattling, slander and joking excessively
Moral issues: Being trustworthy
Moral issues: The rights of a mother and father
At both mosques, the sermons of the imams — some of whom have memorized the
entire Qur’an — covered topics that emphasised ethical and moral matters. There was a
stress on being a good Muslim and a positive member of society, exercising one’s social
obligations toward one’s neighbour, and fulfilling one’s religious duty towards God. Even
when different imams covered the same topic, the most common subject matter related to
the connection between faith and practice. In fact, during my one year at the Preston
Mosque, Shaykh Fahmi al-Imam, who offered Friday prayer sermons twice, covered the
topic of faith and practice in his first sermon. In his second sermon, like the advice Jacob
offered to his sons in the Qur’an, he, with the wisdom of experience, covered the topic of
‘how migrant Muslim Australians can contribute to their new country and community’.
Appropriately, he did this on the anniversary of the migration of the Prophet Muhammad
from Mecca to Medina.
It is important to note that no imam at either mosque dealt with controversial topics
during this period, specifically those relating to political issues. Even though a member of
the al-Shabab group claimed to the newspapers that their plan to attack Holsworthy army
barracks was discussed at the Preston Mosque, 18 I can confidently say that during my two
and half years of observation at both the Preston and Broadmeadows Mosques, no such
matters were ever discussed. More importantly, during the sensitive period of Israel’s
attack on Gaza, the Broadmeadows Mosque only referred to the issue indirectly, without
mentioning any names, while the Preston Mosque criticized the military action and
18
A reporter from the Herald Sun claimed, ‘The terror plotters all prayed at the Preston Mosque and it was through
that association that the conspiracy developed over a number of months.’ (See the article:
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/three-melbourne-men-guilty-of-planning-terror-attack-on-nsw-armybase/story-e6frf7kx-1225975357525.) Another reporter expressed concerns about the influence of preaching on
youth. See the article in The Age (June 13, 2010), ‘Radical preacher grooming young for terror’.
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atrocity in a restrained manner. Similarly, when the President of the Board of Imams
addressed the recent issue of a US pastor’s intention to burn the Qur’an, he spoke with
great constraint, stating that the best response of Muslims to such behaviour was to read
the Qur’an more frequently and apply its moral and ethical teachings. In my opinion, this
was wise advice, as it left no room for any negative reaction to the unfortunate news.
While important events may sometimes shape the topic of the sermon, preachers
generally follow a pre-arranged program. Neither mosque utilizes modern technology.
Sermons deal especially with issues faced by Australian Muslims. However, this does not
mean that issues relating to the wider community are avoided. One important example
was the occasion of the catastrophic bushfires in Victoria in 2009. During this period, the
Imams in both mosques kept the congregation informed of the details of the fires,
encouraged members to assist and support those affected by the fires, and explained that
this was a religious duty and that the mosques should play an important role in organising
groups to collect money and send aid to the fire-affected areas. Muslims united with the
wider community and became part of one body to support those in need. Muslims did not
simply leave the imam’s advice behind in the compound of the mosque, as it were, but
acted on the advice in a practical manner. Prayers for rain were also held at both mosques,
along with expressions of condolence and sympathy for the victims of the fires. This
solidarity of Muslim communities with their fellow Victorians of all religious backgrounds
19
during a time of disaster was a strong example of unity within diversity.
One significant difference between the sermons at the two mosques is that the
Turkish-dominated Broadmeadows Mosque tended to emphasise Turkish national
holidays, whereas the Imam at the majority-Arab congregation at the Preston Mosque
tended to stress the need to raise funds for hospitals and orphanages in Middle Eastern
areas that had experienced calamities.
3.3.
Content of the Sermons
The lists above indicate the general content of the sermons, but if we take a closer look
from the perspective of Onay’s threefold classification, we can make more specific
comments. The table below shows the content of the sermons within the framework of
Ahmet Onay’s classification, which distinguished Belief/Thought, Actions/Practice and
20
Emotion/Spirituality.
Broadmeadows Mosque:
Belief/Thought
The Prophet
Celebration of the heavenly journey of the Prophet (mi’raj)
Qur’an and its place in Islam
The celebration of the night of power (laylat al-qadr)
The notion of knowledge and how it is valued
The notion of immigration in Islam (hijrah)
Actions/Practice
Dangerous habits and precautions/ Green Crescent (Turkish Temperance Society)
19
I observed a similar response at both mosques during the recent catastrophic floods in Queensland.
We accept that this classification has some shortcomings, but for the sake of simplicity we consider this level of
generalisation unavoidable.
20
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The rights of women in Islam (Women Day)
Generosity
Prevention of telling lies
Prophetic example
Social solidarity and the importance of endowment/waqf
Backbiting
Importance of youth
Bushfires and the importance of helping one another
The danger of envy, jealousy and holding grudges
Importance of ritual prayer
The importance of Ramadan and fasting
Relationship between relatives and its importance
The importance of family
The rights of neighbours
Celebration of 30th of August (Victory festival)
The festival of sacrifice
Covering up the mistakes of others
The duties of spouses towards each other
The day of Ashura (Noah’s pudding)
Commanding good and forbidding evil
The importance of the mosque and its function
Emotion/Spirituality
Sincerity (ikhlas)
The notion of truthfulness (sidq)
The notion of piety (taqwa)
Love of the family of the Prophet Muhammad
Paradise and Hell
The notion of brotherhood and the notion of love
The notion of repentance
The notion of praise (hamd) and thanksgiving (shukr) in Islam
Spiritual balance between fear and hope
The spiritual disease of two-facedness and hypocrisy
Codes of ethics
Preston Mosque:
Belief/Thought
Meaning of Islam
Meaning of belief in One God (Allah)
Islam: Togetherness in theory and practice
Compassion of God and the Prophet/Universality of Islam
Islam: Togetherness in theory and practice (obedience to God and the Prophet)
Acceptance of the call to God and the Prophet: Togetherness in theory and practice in
Islam
The meaning of Islam and being a Muslim
The meaning of the celebration of the birth of the Prophet
Muslim sources for religious questions and query
The lawful and unlawful in Islam/halal and haram
Actions/Practice
Back biting, mocking and slander
The importance of immigration
The place of woman in Islam
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Bushfires in Victoria/Australia and helping those who are affected by calamity
Upbringing of children
Good manners and modesty
Patience and examples from the patience of the Prophet
Competing in performing good deeds
Fasting in Ramadan
Importance of worship: fasting, ritual prayer, almsgiving and other moral values
Ramadan, almsgiving, the notion of paradise and hell
Importance of ritual prayer (salat) and prayer with a congregation
Pilgrimage and the importance of sacrifice
Festive days and the unity of Muslims
The importance of immigration (hijrah) in the history of Islam
Patience and the various types of patience
Moral diseases: Telling lies, dissemblance and hypocrisy
Moral diseases: Tattling, slander and joking excessively
Moral issues: Being trustworthy
Moral issues: The rights of a mother and father
Spirituality/Emotion
Worldliness and the love of fortune
The notion of ego and whim
The notion of material and spiritual ihsan
Happiness
The notion of thanks in Islam
The notion of repentance in Islam
The love of world, the reality of death and the hereafter
Minor signs of the Day of Judgement
Minor signs of the Day of Judgement
Minor signs of the Day of Judgement
Introduction to the major sign of the Day of Judgement
Major signs of the Day of Judgement
The two lists above differ from the earlier list of sermon topics. Although imams
shift from one issue to another from time to time during their sermons, they generally
tend to focus on their pre-arranged subject. Actually, this kind of shift is more common in
text-free sermons than in the text-dependent discourses at the Broadmeadows Mosque. At
first glance, it is interesting to note that the imams’ major concerns are related to the
practical and emotional sides of religion, rather than its dogma. At the Broadmeadows
Mosque, sermons about the dogma (beliefs) constituted 16% of all sermons (that is, seven
sermons), while they constituted 18% of sermons at the Preston Mosque, though the
fundamentals of Islam did come to the fore as a side issue from time to time. This ratio
indicates that there is not a strong correlation between the three dimensions. Similar to
21
the outcomes of Onay’s analysis of sermons in Turkey, it is worth noting that two articles
of faith (I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad
is His messenger) were not discussed at all at the Broadmeadows Mosque, while they
were discussed in detail at the Preston Mosque. In addition, two other fundamental
principles of Islam — belief in Angels and destiny — were not discussed at either mosque.
A belief in the hereafter (which is a spiritual dimension, according to Onay’s analysis)
emerged in connection with the reality of death, paradise/hell and the signs of the Day of
21
Ahmet Onay, “Diyanet Hutbelerinin İçerik Analizi”, İslami Araştırmalar Dergisi, Vol.17, 2004, 1-13, at 6.
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Judgement. This dimension (issues related to the hereafter) constituted 21% of sermons
(9) at the Broadmeadows Mosque and 27% (12) at the Preston Mosque.
The major focus of both mosques was on the practical dimension of religion. This
area constituted 63% of sermons at the Broadmeadows Mosque and 55% at the Preston
Mosque. Obviously, the majority of these sermons dealt with principles of Islam, such as
ritual prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, almsgiving, and so on. Nevertheless, there were also
many other topics that pertained mainly to ethical and moral issues. Another interesting
topic which was dealt with from time to time was materialism. The imams frequently
pointed out that an increase of material wealth may improve one’s physical and social
wellbeing but can prove to be a trap, as one may start to pay more attention to worldly
power and possessions than to the spiritual dimension of life. The strong emphasis they
placed on materialism would seem to suggest that these sorts of problems existed within
their congregations.
If we scrutinise the two lists closely, we will see that there is a greater variety of
sermon topics at the Broadmeadows Mosque than at the Preston Mosque. The reason for
this, I think, is probably that more than one imam delivered the sermon at the Preston
Mosque and they sometimes duplicated topics. In addition, some modern practical issues
were not discussed clearly during sermons at either mosque — issues such as mortgages,
interest-free banking systems, insurance and certain medical ethical matters were
omitted. At this stage it is also important to note that at the Preston Mosque, imams
frequently discussed the lack of an individual body of fatwa (legal reasoning). This
internal problem would seem to stem from the ethnic and cultural diversity of the
Muslims attending the Preston Mosque. However, I did not come across this issue being
raised by the imams at the Broadmeadows Mosque. Importantly, imams also preferred to
make general remarks, rather than tackle specific arguments. As was mentioned above, it
was quite rare for imams to use contemporary examples to illustrate their points; they
preferred to cite examples from the past. There was also strong emphasis on the family,
marriage, issues relating to women and men in general, Muslim youth and children. At the
Broadmeadows Mosque, the imam delivered his sermon from a written script prepared by
a religious committee (consisting of imams and the Turkish Attaché). In fact, other imams
from Turkey who work in Melbourne deliver the same khutba prepared by the same
committee. The election of sermons delivered by the imams at the two mosques in
Melbourne (regardless of whether they are raised in Australia or come from overseas)
indicates that they are extremely reluctant to bring overseas problems to their respective
mosques. This is an important point in relation to the question raised at the beginning of
this paper about the training of imams in Australia.
As was indicated in the tables provided above, the content of the sermons at the two
mosques was comprehensive, and the imams were well qualified to convey their message.
They employed various rhetorical devices to communicate with their congregations, such
as using intonation in a very efficient way, raising many rhetorical questions (which are
not expected to be answered by the congregation, but evoke an emotional response),
quoting poems or very interesting anecdotes in relation to the topic discussed in the
sermons, and a balanced use of irony and humour.
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4. TRAINING IMAMS IN AUSTRALIA?
At the outset, we need to ask whether any existing Australian institution can educate and
produce imams satisfactorily. It is true that well-respected scholars teach Islamic Studies
at a number of Australian universities, but none of the courses are designed or developed
for training imams. As far as I can see, no existing programs are suitable for educating
imams.
It is hard to imagine that any one institution training imams could cater for the
religious and cultural needs of all Muslims in Australia. It is also hard to imagine any one
structure or establishment that would appeal to all Muslims. Just as ministers from
different Christian denominations are trained at different institutions, so imams from
different backgrounds have different training requirements. There is no central body
among Muslims, and common training is simply out of the question. However, this does
not mean that it would be impossible to bring different Muslim groups together to find
some kind of general theological consensus.
I believe it makes sense to expect tertiary level institutions to support imams, and
also to create a space for the education of young Muslim women and of women community
leaders. I am also convinced that the establishment of an advisory body via the
collaboration of organisations such as the Board of Imams, the Islamic Council of Victoria
and similar organisations, as well as various Islamic school teachers and trainers, could
offer workshops and short but concentrated programs or courses for inculturating
overseas imams. Topics could include Australian values, Australian life, and other topics
that should be addressed during sermons but are not normally paid much attention.
Within this framework, imams could be educated on topics such as multiculturalism,
integration, inter-faith dialogue, and common moral and ethical issues (such as medical
ethics, environmental issues, and social and inner peace); as well as, most importantly, the
way in which Muslims, as a dynamic faith group, can contribute to the wider community,
and be frontrunners in encouraging dialogue and communication amongst the populace.
Thus, the need is to create a program which can help imams to learn more about their new
society, so that they can in turn give better advice to their immediate communities. Since
there is no single tertiary level institution for the training of imams, this would seem the
best approach at present. Otherwise, initiating the training of imams in existing
institutions would not mean that different Muslim communities would accept these imams
without hesitation. Nonetheless, it is safe to assume that with the passage of time,
especially with the engagement of more Australian-born Muslims (third and fourth
generation Muslims) in community and religious affairs, more serious Australian Muslim
22
institutions for the training and formation of imams will gradually develop.
Clearly, changing the current situation will require both time and effort. Another
question which should be asked at this juncture is who will appoint these imams and
which mosque each will be appointed to. As I understand it, the majority of imams are
sponsored by mosque committees, in other words, by the community. This structure
requires a sensitive balance between the imam and the community, and is quite different
from state-sponsored service areas.
22
The structure of the family, changes to the family structure and the generation gap are important issues which need
to be taken seriously by every community.
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On the other hand, there is apparent disadvantage in insisting on imams being
trained in Australia. In our rapidly globalising world, Muslim countries might require
future religious leaders of their own non-Muslim minorities to be trained in statesponsored institutions in their own country, on the basis of reciprocity. I think that such a
practice or rule would upset sincere believers in almost every country. Politicians should
be very careful not to fall into the trap of political pragmatism or populism for the sake of
any temporary benefit. They would be well advised to abstain from taking stances that
impose, command, or prohibit certain religious and cultural behaviours. Instead, they
would do well to exert the utmost effort to admit these existing problems and try to fill the
gaps and remove the deficiencies in the existing system. The imposition of top-down
projects without consultation will do more harm than good to the religious affairs of the
communities they seek to serve.
5. CONCLUSION
Muslims are a relatively ‘new’ migrant community in Australia, especially when compared
with settlers like the Irish, Chinese and Italians. Nonetheless, owing to the media and
many other factors, the presence of Muslims sometimes provokes tensions and raises
questions. Furthermore, the growing number of Muslims in the West seems to cause
demographic anxiety and clash-of-civilization theories among some non-Muslims.
From the perspective of Muslims, the host country is their new home, and the home
of their children and their children’s children. Although various global developments
create immigrants and religious Diaspora, Muslims seem to attract more than their fair
share of attention. In their adopted homeland, mosques serve a unique purpose, enabling
recent arrivals to meet like-minded Muslims. The training of imams and the content of the
Friday sermons are thus very important matters. As was shown above, sermons are
23
quietly received by thousands of people each week.
Although very good Islamic Studies departments exist in Australian universities, this
article tries to show that there is no specific institution for educating imams in Australia.
According to my two-and-a-half-year experience and observation, the current imams in
the two mosques are well qualified and quite capable of serving their respective
communities. The content of the services is a clear reflection of the vast knowledge and
experience of imams in Islamic studies. In addition, their sermons indicate that they are
keener to preach about ethical and moral issues than about political matters, and that they
do not wish to import overseas problems into Australia. In the short term, instead of
focusing on the unrealistic goal of training our own imams in Australia (though this may
be possible at some future date), current departments of Islamic Studies, together with
various NGOs, should organise regular workshops and courses to facilitate the integration
24
and adaptation of new imams from overseas. It is also important to note that the
23
Bearing in mind the number of mosques in Australia, and in Victoria in particular, the two mosques I visited are
simply representative of the whole. They have attendances that approximate the attendances at other Australian
mosques. (See the list of all mosques and musallas (small mosques) in Australia:
http://www.islamiaonline.com/masjidfinder/#.)
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I believe that Prof. Abdullah Saeed from Melbourne University, Attaché Huseyin Koc from the Melbourne General
Consulate of the Republic of Turkey, and representatives of the Board of Imams in Victoria currently conduct
workshops and training programs for imams in Victoria. This is an important initiative that will contribute greatly to
the continuing education and training of imams in Australia.
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pluralistic and general nature of these courses should allow imams from different social
and ethnic backgrounds to participate actively in them. In addition, these programs should
be designed to emphasise the multicultural nature of Australian society. The challenge
facing imams is a fundamental one: how can they help their congregations to sustain their
Muslim identity without opposing either modernity or the multicultural fabric of their
new homeland?
Author: Ismail Albayrak is the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and MuslimCatholic Relations, in the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy at Australian Catholic
University. He received his PhD degree from Leeds University in 2000. His areas of special
interest are Qur’anic Studies, Classical exegesis, Contemporary Approaches to the Qur’an,
Western Scholarship of Islam, and Orientalism.
Email: Ismail.albayrak@acu.edu.au
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