Imported imams
As Muslim communities established themselves in Britain in the 1960s,
their spiritual needs were met by imams from
their home towns or villages. Today, over two-thirds of imams are still 'imported' from
abroad even though two or three generations of Muslims have been born and
grown up in the UK.
No experience
Many young people are alienated by imams who have no experience of the dilemmas of trying to be a good Muslim in a secular society. Principal of the Muslim College of Britain, Dr Zaki Badawi, says: 'Although some are good, many do not have a good knowledge of English or Islam. They bring their own culture and it does not fit with a British one. They try to fashion the community from the one they came from, which is not the modern way.'
English tests
Controversially, Labour peer Lord Ahmed has called for imams to be given English language tests before they come to Britain. He said on the BBC Today programme: 'A few imams can't communicate with our young people, who cannot understand Bengali, Urdu or Punjabi… Some people are looking for identity and are very upset with society anyway because of social problems like high unemployment – that is why some are taken in by minority groups like Al Muhajiroun. We need … imams who can communicate with their congregation in English to speak of tolerance and the real message of Islam, which is peace.'
The Home Office also wants to encourage the training of 'home-grown' imams and is also concerned about the influence of high profile, radical extremist clerics with minority views, like Sheikh Abu Hamza of Finsbury Park.
Home-grown leaders
Yusuf Bhailok of the Lancashire Islamic college movement agrees, saying: 'I have heard superb young British imams give sermons on drug abuse, neighbourliness and speaking out against domestic violence in Asian communities.'
According to research carried out at Cardiff University, one reason that there are so many 'imported' imams is that they are cheaper to employ. Ajmal Masroor, a consultant on Islamic issues, says: 'Many of them live under very difficult conditions – isolated and away from their families, and the situation is made worse by inadequate salaries. These are very sad and shambolic conditions.' He believes English-speaking and home-grown imams could play an influential role in the community.