Imam al-Masjid Muqawwimatuhu al-Ilmiyya wal-Khuluqiyya
- Author died
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- Editions
- Ministry of Awqaf (Saudi Arabia) website
Imam al-Masjid: Muqawwimatuhu al-Ilmiyya wal-Khuluqiyya (The Imam of the Mosque: His Scholarly and Moral Qualifications) is a treatise by Saud bin Muhammad al-Bishr outlining the essential religious knowledge, ethical virtues, and pastoral duties required of mosque imams and Friday preachers (khatibs) .
Background and Purpose
The treatise was prepared in response to an initiative by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah, and Guidance during the tenure of Minister Abdullah bin Abdul Muhsin al-Turki . Its stated objective was to provide practical guidance for imams and preachers, emphasizing the central position of the mosque in Muslim communal life and addressing contemporary shortcomings in preaching, pastoral care, and ritual performance .
Content and Structure
The book begins by highlighting the sanctity and function of the mosque in Islam, citing foundational Quranic texts and the prophetic precedent set by the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ upon arriving in Medina . The author notes that leading prayers and delivering sermons were historically assumed by the Prophet ﷺ, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, governors, and leading scholars, reflecting the high demands placed on those holding these positions . The main discussion is divided into two primary categories of qualifications, followed by practical critiques and concluding recommendations.
Scholarly Qualifications (al-Muqawwimat al-Ilmiyya)
The author identifies ten primary competencies that an imam should possess :
- Sincerity of intention (ikhlas) purely for God .
- Freedom from ostentation and seeking social prestige (riya' and mubahah) .
- Memorization of the Quran, or a substantial portion of it .
- Memorization of Prophetic traditions from reliable anthologies, such as Riyad al-Salihin, al-Arba'un al-Nawawiyya, or Bulugh al-Maram .
- Grounding in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh), especially the rulings of ritual purity, prayer, fasting, and financial transactions (mu'amalat) .
- Proficiency in the Arabic language to correctly understand scriptural texts .
- Study of the Prophetic biography (sirah), the Prophet's characteristics (shama'il), and the lives of the early generations (salaf) .
- Knowledge of theological sects, contemporary intellectual currents, and destructive ideologies in order to critique them using scriptural proofs .
- Awareness of current issues facing the Muslim world and persecuted Muslim minorities .
- Familiarity with modern mass media and cultural trends, recognizing their benefits and hazards .
In this section, the author critiques contemporary preachers who deviate from the Prophetic model of concise, faith-building Friday sermons by turning their addresses into lengthy political speeches, sensationalist news reports, or partisan polemics . He also criticizes excessive prolongation of the Qunut supplication during Ramadan and the use of external loudspeakers at disruptive volumes, citing rulings from classical scholars such as Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, Ibn Atiyya, Al-Qurtubi, and Al-Nawawi .
Moral Qualifications (al-Muqawwimat al-Khuluqiyya)
The author outlines the moral and personal virtues essential for an imam, including patience (sabr), religious certainty (yaqin), gentleness (rifq), forbearance (hilm), mercy, and tenderness toward congregants . He stresses honesty, warning strictly against fabricating or transmitting unverified statements, especially attributing unauthentic narrations to the Prophet ﷺ even if done with the intention of encouraging good deeds . Imams are also directed to protect the privacy and reputations of Muslims (satr) and refrain from spreading rumors .
Recommendations
The work concludes with eight specific recommendations for imams and preachers: maintaining God-consciousness in private and public, adhering firmly to the Sunnah, maintaining close ties with established scholars, taking into account the needs and physical limitations of congregants by moderating the length of prayers and sermons, lowering loudspeaker volumes to avoid disturbing neighboring mosques, and thoroughly verifying reports before addressing the public .
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