Every parent must contemplate the pride they would feel hearing their son leading the prayer in the local mosque. Thanks to Imam Al Farij, a program initiated by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) Dubai, this aspiration is now achievable.
Imam Al Farij was established under the guidance of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of IACAD. This initiative follows the success of the Muezzin Al Farij campaign, which aimed to identify and refine the most talented muezzins among children in the city's neighborhoods.
"The initiative aims to groom young individuals to lead prayers in Dubai mosques and play a role in fostering awareness and education within Dubai's society,"
stated Ahmed Darwish Al Muhairi, the director general of the department.
"It seeks to bolster the culture of religious consciousness, particularly within families, by targeting young individuals from Dubai and empowering them to serve as imams."
Imam Al Farij is tailored for Dubai youth aged between 16 and 21. Over 4 months, participants will undergo training across 70 mosques situated throughout 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 the 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.
- Imam Al Farij (16-21)
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, to foster stable families and nurture 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.
News Source: Khaleej Times
