In a significant milestone, twenty-four individuals from diverse backgrounds across Germany marked the culmination of their imam training at the newly established Islamkolleg Deutschland, located in the northwestern city of Osnabrück. Men and women alike proudly received their certificates of completion following their two-year, part-time educational journey.
During a press conference, Christian Wulff, former German President and chairman of the Islamkolleg’s board of trustees, lauded the occasion as historic. For the first time in Germany, prospective imams undertook their practical training in the German language, receiving academic support along the way.
Wulff emphasized the overdue nature of this development, especially given Germany’s significant Muslim population, which constitutes approximately 6% of the nation’s inhabitants. He underscored the college’s vital role in fostering peace and integration within the country.
With some 5.5 million Muslims residing in Germany, the Islamkolleg has already gained recognition as a prominent training center, receiving inquiries from both domestic and international prospects.
The Genesis of Germany’s Imam Training Initiative Germany initiated the establishment of a state-backed training center for Islamic leaders four years ago, with the primary goal of curbing the reliance on foreign-trained imams, most of whom hail from Turkey.
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Currently, Germany hosts between 2,000 to 2,500 Islamic religious leaders, many of whom stay for four to five years, are financially supported by their home countries, and possess limited knowledge of local culture and customs. Furthermore, a substantial number of these imams also hold positions as officials of the Turkish state and pursue political agendas within Germany, a concern exacerbated by the 2016 failed coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Navigating the Employment Conundrum Addressing concerns about the employment prospects for graduates, former German President Wulff expressed optimism that these challenges could be resolved in the coming years. He posited that the state could potentially create positions in Islamic welfare work, including chaplains, as a viable solution.
Notably, Catholic charity Caritas and its Protestant counterpart, Diakonie, already receive state funding. Additionally, Germany’s Defense Ministry has expressed interest in employing Muslim chaplains within the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, in the future.
Aiman Mazyek, the chairman of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, expressed his delight at the inaugural batch of graduates while cautioning against direct or indirect state financing of religious personnel. He suggested innovative job-sharing arrangements that could allow imams to serve as religious teachers in schools.
Bülent Ucar, the director of Islamkolleg Deutschland, aspired to see imam training integrated into mainstream education and expressed confidence in improved job prospects for graduates as the initiative progresses.
