As Islam grows in the United States, some communities are dealing with a Muslim clergy shortage
"Brothers and sisters," the seminary instructor tells his class, don't believe in God because of your parents' beliefs but because "you know why God exists."
Traditional imams and scholars who once came from the Middle East or were educated in schools there are having more difficulty entering the United States. "I thought maybe a long-term solution for facing this shortage is to have our own Shiite Islamic seminary in the US, instead of waiting for imams to come," he said.
Although there are students in 25 countries the emphasis is on North America because of the desire to deepen the bench of US-trained imams, scholars, and speakers, according to the elder Qazwini, a native of Iraq. Dr Ali Nawras, a board member of the Toledo mosque, said the arrangement works for day-to-day needs because of its proximity to the Detroit area — a longtime hub for Islam in America. But the centre seeks a permanent imam to meet its broader, long-term objectives: Having a strong understanding of challenges within their own community, particularly among youth, and forging stronger bonds between the Muslim and non-Muslim populations.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
US growth of Islam creates need for religious scholarsDEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. (AP) — Imam Mohammad Qazwini's deep understanding of Islam and his formal training at a seminary in the holy city of Qom, Iran, draws students to this suburban Detroit...
Read more »
'Still time' for Thailand to solve U.S. duty-free issue: U.S. commerce secretaryThailand still has time to renegotiate with the United States over a suspension ...
Read more »
U.S. Stocks Outpacing the Rest of the WorldGlobal stocks are lagging behind U.S. shares, illustrating how investors’ faith in the domestic economy continues to drive a growing divergence in financial markets.
Read more »
FDA, EPA, USDA join with restaurants and grocery stores to halve US food waste by 2030Up to 40 percent of edible food in America currently goes into the trash, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, often because consumers store food incorrectly or misunderstand what the 'best before' dates on food labels really mean.
Read more »
Under Armour faces U.S. federal probe over accounting practices: WSJUnder Armour Inc is under investigation by U.S. federal law enforcement official...
Read more »