Dubai teens as young as 16 can become imams: Application, training, all you need to know

Every parent must wonder how it feels to hear their own son to lead the prayer in their neighbourhood mosque.

Now, it's possible, thanks to Imam Al Farij by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) Dubai.

Imam Al Farij was launched based on the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of IACAD, following the success of the Muezzin Al Farij campaign in selecting and honing the finest muezzins among children in the city's neighbourhoods.

“The initiative aims to prepare the youngsters to lead prayers in Dubai mosques and contribute to the awareness and education process in Dubai's society," said Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, the director general of the department.

"It aims to enhance the culture of religious awareness, especially within families. The initiative targets young people from Dubai, enabling them to become imams."

Imam Al Farij was designed for Dubai youth aged 16 to 21. They will be trained for a duration of 4 months across 70 participating mosques around the city.

How to apply:

Interested parents can bring their children to mosques right after the afternoon prayer starting May 1.

Parents may choose the mosque closest to their home and register their children's data with the mosque’s custodian.

Check IACAD's website to know list of 70 participating mosques.

Deadline for registration:

The deadline for registration is May 15.

For further details, you may call 800600

Training

The four-month training will be held three days a week for two age groups.

The participants will undergo a course, consisting of educational sessions which will be held three days a week.

Sessions for participants ages 16–21 will be done in person every Monday and Wednesday, and remotely on Fridays, all starting after the Asr prayer until the Maghrib prayer.

• Muezzin Al Farij (6-15)

The sessions for ages 6-15 will take place remotely every Sunday, and in person on Tuesday and Thursday.

The participants will be educated during this course on jurisprudential programs regarding the rules of imamate, prayer, and Quran memorization. Participants' progress will be assessed by committees during the upcoming month of September.

Dubai's Social Agenda 33

Al Muhairi affirmed that the initiative has been launched in alignment with Dubai's Social Agenda 33, with the aim of fostering stable families and nurturing generations to be confident in their abilities, steadfast in their identity, and prepared for the future.

Dr Mohammed Suhail Al Muhairi, director of the Masjids Religious Services and head of the Imam Al Farij initiative team, reported that 70 mosques in Dubai have been designated to start receiving participants interested in joining the initiative.

“The conditions for participation have been set, such as registration through the imams in the mosques, and a requirement for attendance not to be less than 70 percent for each participant,” said Dr Suhail.

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