500 Makassar Imams 'Descend from the Mountain' to Attend Coaching Clinic

The Makassar city government in South Sulawesi is providing training to 500 mosque imams to strengthen the quality of worship while optimising the role of mosques as concrete centres for community development. Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin emphasised that an imam is not only required to have a good voice but must also be competent in understanding fiqh, recitation accuracy, and able to create tranquility and devotion in worship. “An imam is a role model. Therefore, their capacity must be continuously improved, both in terms of knowledge, practice, and readiness in leading congregational prayers,” he said in Makassar on Wednesday. According to him, quality imams will directly impact the improved quality of the congregation and position mosques as centres of community civilisation. In the training, the imams received comprehensive guidance, ranging from in-depth understanding of imamah fiqh, the proper conduct of prayer in accordance with the Sunnah, to handling various technical issues that often arise during congregational prayers. Additionally, the imams were equipped with improvements in the quality of Qur’an recitation, particularly in aspects of tajwid and makhraj, to ensure every imam can lead worship correctly and properly. This coaching clinic activity not only aims to enhance the individual competence of imams but also encourages standardisation of recitation and prayer practices in all mosques in Makassar City, so that worship services to the community can proceed with higher quality, uniformity, and serenity. Munafri emphasised the importance of uniformity and capacity building for imams in leading congregational prayers. Based on his experience visiting mosques in various areas, he still finds differences in how imams lead prayers. “So far, I have been visiting mosques in Makassar City, and indeed the methods of imams still vary. Therefore, a common understanding and uniformity are needed so that imams can provide enlightenment in the midst of society,” he said. More than just leading prayers, mosque imams have a strategic role as community guides in daily life. Imams serve as references for the community in understanding Islamic teachings, both related to worship and social-religious issues faced by residents. Imams also act as caregivers present in the midst of society, especially in important situations such as social conflicts, disasters, or family problems. The presence of imams is expected to provide tranquility and wise solutions based on Islamic values.