Training imams in the Netherlands: the failure of a post-secular endeavour

Abstract

What are the reasons behind the failure of the Islamic theology and imamtraining programmes at the Dutch universities? To address this question, we employed qualitative content analysis of semi-structured interviews (N = 38) conducted between July 2016 and January 2017. The sample consists of stakeholders such as academics teaching in the programmes, imams, Qur'an teachers, chairs of the largest Islamic organisations, and Dutch ministry and municipality officials. We analysed the establishment of the state-funded Islamic theology and imam-training programmes in the Netherlands in the light of the different theoretical accounts about the evolution of Dutch secularism after the de-pillarisation of the Dutch society. The findings suggest that the failure of the programmes stemmed from distrust in the intentions of the funding by the Dutch government, lack of confidence in the expertise of the non-Muslim academics teaching the programmes and refusal by the Turkish Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), to cooperate with the universities for the setup of the programmes. This study shows that future attempts for Islamic theology programmes in the Dutch universities will need to establish better connections with the grassroots of the Dutch Muslim communities.

Importing mosque pedagogy from Turkey: an analysis of contextual factors shaping re-contextualisation processes in the Netherlands

“…Moreover, the quality of Diyanet's mosque education was perceived higher since Diyanet imams are graduates of the Islamic Theology university programmes in Turkey and received pedagogical training, whereas in non-state affiliated mosques in the Netherlands, lower educated or self-taught imams are recurrently employed. Furthermore, 'the Diyanet imams are sent and paid by the Turkish government following an annual nationwide exam for Turkish theology graduates and an interview with a committee comprised of officials from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (Sözeri, Altinyelken, and Volman 2018). As such, Diyanet imams in the Netherlands are viewed as more knowledgeable and competent in pedagogical skills.…”

Major Socio–Political Factors that Impact on the Changing Role, Perception and Image of Imams among Dutch–Turkish Muslims

“…However, the official representatives of Turkish Islam in Europe-Diyanet among them-refrained from participating as partners in the educational project set up by the Dutch government. Diyanet interviewees of my study report that this unwillingness is due to reservations about the adequacy of the Dutch state curriculum and the competence of the teachers who would give the lessons [23]. The training of imams in Europe and the recruitment of candidates among Muslims living in Europe have not been Diyanet's priorities in recent years.…”

“…As I addressed above, Turkish-Islamic communities do not impose any conditions regarding familiarity with the language and culture of the host country. Some scholars suggest that this problem stems from the desire of Turkish institutions to maintain their ideological structures in the host country [23,24]. It should be noted that when Islamic educational groups started to organize themselves in the Netherlands in the 1970s, this happened under the same impulse as in Turkey, where the Qur'ān schools undertook pioneering work in formal and informal RE for the Muslim community.…”

“…Should they not receive their training in the host country rather than in their country of origin [26,27]? These pressing questions and the changing political climate stimulate the development of an educational program for imam training in the Netherlands [28], which has gone through a very complex process of discussion and negotiation over the past three decades [23]. The issue remains highly relevant today [29].…”

Professionalizing the Imam in Europe: Imam Training Programs as Sites of Deliberative Engagement

“…The education partner can also be confronted with mistrust. Sözeri et al (2018) concluded in their interviews with Diyanet administrators in the Netherlands that they not always agreed with the fact that non-Muslim lecturers are appointed at universities to teach Islam.…”