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DECEMBER 2004

Students Taking the High Road to Religion:
Imam Oliver Mohammad
By Nazneen Malik

Oliver Mohammad

Oliver Mohammad never really had a desire to become an Imam; it was more of a calling. Instilled with a natural inclination towards helping others, Mohammad converted to Islam 32 years ago and worked with Muslim inmates as a prison chaplain before even considering becoming an Imam. “I wanted to help inmates change their lives,” he says, “and as I became more active in leading them in Friday prayer, having classes, and sharing with them everything I already knew about Islam, [my role] kind of evolved.”

A part-time student in the Master of Religious Practice (MRP) program at the Graduate School of Islamic and Social Sciences (GSISS) in Virginia, Mohammad is already an Imam at his local mosque and only one paper away from graduating.

Mohammed actually became an Imam shortly before gaining admission into the MRP program. “I thought I was equipped,” he chuckles, “but when I saw the scope of the position, I figured I needed some concentrated study.” Most students often go abroad to study, and as a result many Islamic institutions in the United States do not offer programs that sufficiently serve those students who wish to become Imams here. The GSISS is one of the few institutions that does.

The MRP program can be completed in three years of full-time study and it prepares students for service-oriented careers in the Muslim community such as chaplaincy or other leadership roles like that of an Imam. The curriculum includes, among others, courses in the Quranic Sciences, Islamic Jurisprudence, World Religions, the Hadith (teachings of Prophet Muhammad), and Islamic History. Classes are taught primarily in English; however, emphasis is placed on achieving Quranic proficiency. “Prayers have to be led in Arabic,” states Mohammad, “and we lead prayers with the Quran; we don't recite anything else so learning the Arabic of the Quran is essential. An Imam should be able to read it and understand it but not necessarily be able to speak Arabic conversationally.”

The word, “Imam,” itself, means leader. Essentially, any mature male can be an Imam without any formal education, however, as the community grows and its needs grow, so too do the roles and functions of an Imam. When asked how to determine who can be an Imam,  Mohammad relates a well known hadith, “First, the Imam is the person who knows more of the Quran. If that condition is met, then he is the one who is aware of the Sunnah (life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad). Next, the person who has been Muslim longer, [after that] the one who is most senior in age.” These criteria seem necessary for this complex and varied role. Imams act as counselors; they deliver sermons every Friday prayer as well as on other religious occasions, perform funeral services and marriage ceremonies, teach classes in various areas of Islam, participate in interfaith dialogues and outreach initiatives, and build bridges in the community.

Although Imam Mohammad is very active in his community, the humility in his voice is unmistakable. He fervently believes that the greatest gift anybody can give to their community is a better improved self and a persistent dedication to improving the welfare of others.#
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