KT File Photo: Neeraj Murali
Release Date: Monday, August 19, 2024 at 6am
In the UAE, young people as young as 20 years old are taking to the pulpits and dedicating their time to impart religious instruction in mosques across the country. Speaking to Khaleej Times, the young preachers said they inherited their family’s love of preaching.
They are recent graduates of the “Preachers for the People” programme, an initiative of the Islamic Affairs Office and Mohammed Bin Zayed University for the Humanities.
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The programme trains UAE university students to deliver Friday sermons, reinforcing the values of tolerance, coexistence and peace taught by Islam.
The students, who said their parents were their source of inspiration, are students at Mohammed Bin Zayed University of Humanities, which specializes in Islamic studies including law, religious discourse, hadith science and the Holy Quran.
“The inspiration came from my childhood. Seeing my father preaching and shouldering his religious responsibilities ignited my love and appreciation for preaching and motivated me to follow in his path. As I grew older, my passion for preaching grew,” Mohammed Al Shahi, one of the young preachers, told Khaleej Times.
Mohammed Al Shahi. Photo: Courtesy
“My university studies focused on Sharia and Islamic studies, which gave me legal knowledge and useful insight. Preaching has given me a great opportunity to contribute to others,” the 22-year-old added.
The three-week programme was aimed at improving public speaking skills with emphasis on voice modulation during sermons. The first week focused on theoretical aspects of sermon preparation, such as general speaker guidelines and body language skills, while the second and third weeks focused on practical applications for Friday sermons.
“The university recommended me for the programme because my father is a preacher and I expressed a desire to follow in his footsteps,” said Mohammed Al-Attas, another student.
Al-Attas, 22, said he has a master’s degree in discourse and wants to continue studying for a doctorate. “I hope to contribute to my country and spread Islamic values through various means, including the media, Friday sermons, seminars and classrooms.”
Mohammed Al Attas. Photo: Courtesy
There is growing enthusiasm for preaching among students. Speaking to Khaleej Times about his experience on the programme, 20-year-old Suleiman Al Darmaki said: “The programme has really made me fall in love with preaching. I wish the training had been longer than three weeks.”
He said the program has helped him hone his vocal modulation skills to make his sermons more impactful, and he dreams of becoming an imam and preacher at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
Suleiman Al Darmaki. Photo: Supplied
As future national preachers, they see the program as a unique experience that will help them hone their public speaking skills as they hope to make a big mark in the field of preaching.
Zayed Al Mansouri. Photo: Courtesy
“I have always harboured this desire. My ambition is to be a role model for the youth of the UAE in imaat (leading prayer), adhan (call to prayer) and preaching. I will strive to improve my performance and learn all the techniques to grab people’s attention during sermons,” said Zayed Al Mansoori, another student who benefited from the programme.
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