Imams in Western Europe: Developments, Transformations, and Institutional Challenges Edited by Mohammed Hashas, Jan Jaap de Ruiter and Niels Valdemar Vinding

Year 2019, Volume: 30 Issue: 1, 277 - 287, 03.07.2019

Yakoob Ahmed

Abstract

Imams in Western Europe is a collection of 21 essays, composed into two sections written by a wide-ranging mix of various academics and researchers who examine the numerous issues that continue to impact Imams, the Muslim community and the diverse states in Western Europe. The focus on Muslims in Europe and in particular Muslim institutions has started to take much interest as European governments continue to view the discourse of the respective Muslim communities from the perspective either in relation to Islamic movements and their ideas or the functioning of the institutions that facilitate Muslim activity. The Imam as an institution of authority in particular is at times perceived within the purview of suspicion especially as his role is one of mediation who represents a unique form of authority within Muslim societies, whose roles vary from issues to do with teaching, mediating between state and society, interfaith activity, institutional building, leading prayers in mosques, conducting marriages and divorces, funerals, and dealing with matters to do with gender and minority issues. With rapidly fluctuating environments the Imams at times find that the needs of the Muslim community are going through a host of shifts and changes, as each community has its generational challenges as evolving migrant communities. 

Keywords

Imams, Western, Europe

Imams in Western Europe: Developments, Transformations, and Institutional Challenges Edited by Mohammed Hashas, Jan Jaap de Ruiter and Niels Valdemar Vinding

Abstract

Imams in Western Europe is a collection of 21 essays, composed into two sections
written by a wide-ranging mix of various academics and researchers who examine the
numerous issues that continue to impact Imams, the Muslim community and the diverse
states in Western Europe. The focus on Muslims in Europe and in particular Muslim
institutions has started to take much interest as European governments continue to view
the discourse of the respective Muslim communities from the perspective either in
relation to Islamic movements and their ideas or the functioning of the institutions that
facilitate Muslim activity.

Keywords

Mohammed Hashas

References

• Imams in Western Europe: Developments, Transformations, and Institutional Challenges Edited by Mohammed Hashas, Jan Jaap de Ruiter and Niels Valdemar Vinding (Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2018), p. 438. ISBN: 978–9462983830