Imam Training Program
Ethical and Professional Leadership Development Program
Designed by the Institute of Islamic Social Science, Wisdom, and Action (ISSWA) and financially sponsored and endorsed by the Center for Islam in the Contemporary World at Shenandoah University (CICW).
Imam Training Program Description
The Imam Training program is a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) course delivered under the theme of “Ethical and Professional Leadership”. Its main purpose is to close the gap between the religious and secular knowledge of the Imams and other religious leaders; in other words, the courses are designed to connect religious ordinances and commandments to people’s lives in such a way that it becomes a standard for their social behavior and moral valuation when dealing with each other in public life. The purpose of these training workshops is to build the participants’ capacity to understand the theological, theoretical, and practical foundations and principles of ethical and leadership and to be able to apply that understanding in dealing with institutional and social changes in their daily positions and encounters as leaders.
The four main courses in the program are:
1. Leadership and Governance: Leading People and Institutions Ethically with a Purpose.
Participants in the “Leadership and Governance” course will be trained in the foundational concepts of good leadership and the opportunity to explore ideas about the nature, basis, and principles of leadership; the conditions and requirements of quality leadership, the relationship between leaders and followers; historical and contemporary examples of leadership. By the end of the course, they will gain enough leadership knowledge to apply the learning in their daily leadership roles at various institutions.
2. Multifaith Relations and Civic Engagement: Understanding the need for Coexistence through Engagement, Cooperation, and Collaboration:
Participants in the “Multifaith Relations and Civic Engagement” course will obtain an enhanced understanding of the foundations of social relations and influence. They will be able to explore and learn about the nature, basis, and principles of human relationships. Participants will, by the end of the course, learn concepts such as conversation, language structure, moods of communication, cooperation, collaboration, balance of power, and trust in human interactions and behavior; and be able to apply this learning at all levels in their leadership roles.
3. Healthy Relations: Safeguarding and Promoting Healthy Individuals, Families, and Peaceful Society:Participants in the “Healthy Relations” course will be trained primarily on peaceful living and coexistence of families, communities, and society. They will have the opportunity to explore ideas about the nature, basis, and principles of healthy living and relations. They will learn concepts relating to identity, gender, race, emotional and physical health of the individual and the community, as well as social norms and trends, which shape human interactions and behavior and act as barriers to coexistence. By the end of the course, they be able apply this learning in their various leadership roles to promote healthy relations at individual and societal levels.
4. Inclusive Citizenship and Social Activism: Protecting and Promoting Individual & Collective Duties, Responsibility, and Liberty:
Participant in the “Inclusive Citizenship and Social Activism” course will be trained on how promote a just and equitable society – a society free from all forms of marginalization, insecurity, and oppression. The workshop will enhance the participants’ understanding of how to prevent both individual and collective harm and how to promote long-term collective benefit, as the foundation of a just society. At the end of the course, participants will gain knowledge on how to promote the creation of a just and equitable society through mutual charity, compassion, and good fellowship – a society in which the social order conforms to both natural and constitutional law; and be able to apply that learning in their daily roles as leaders.
The program is designed to target the following group categories:
• Imams with religious education (degree and ijaza holders)
• Muslim chaplains
• Other religious leaders/scholars
• Leaders and manager of Islamic centers and organizations
• Leaders and manager of all faith-based organizations.
Designed by the Institute of Islamic Social Science, Wisdom, and Action (ISSWA) and financially sponsored and endorsed by the Center for Islam in the Contemporary World at Shenandoah University (CICW).
Imam Training Program Description
The Imam Training program is a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) course delivered under the theme of “Ethical and Professional Leadership”. Its main purpose is to close the gap between the religious and secular knowledge of the Imams and other religious leaders; in other words, the courses are designed to connect religious ordinances and commandments to people’s lives in such a way that it becomes a standard for their social behavior and moral valuation when dealing with each other in public life. The purpose of these training workshops is to build the participants’ capacity to understand the theological, theoretical, and practical foundations and principles of ethical and leadership and to be able to apply that understanding in dealing with institutional and social changes in their daily positions and encounters as leaders.
The four main courses in the program are:
1. Leadership and Governance: Leading People and Institutions Ethically with a Purpose.
Participants in the “Leadership and Governance” course will be trained in the foundational concepts of good leadership and the opportunity to explore ideas about the nature, basis, and principles of leadership; the conditions and requirements of quality leadership, the relationship between leaders and followers; historical and contemporary examples of leadership. By the end of the course, they will gain enough leadership knowledge to apply the learning in their daily leadership roles at various institutions.
2. Multifaith Relations and Civic Engagement: Understanding the need for Coexistence through Engagement, Cooperation, and Collaboration:
Participants in the “Multifaith Relations and Civic Engagement” course will obtain an enhanced understanding of the foundations of social relations and influence. They will be able to explore and learn about the nature, basis, and principles of human relationships. Participants will, by the end of the course, learn concepts such as conversation, language structure, moods of communication, cooperation, collaboration, balance of power, and trust in human interactions and behavior; and be able to apply this learning at all levels in their leadership roles.
3. Healthy Relations: Safeguarding and Promoting Healthy Individuals, Families, and Peaceful Society:Participants in the “Healthy Relations” course will be trained primarily on peaceful living and coexistence of families, communities, and society. They will have the opportunity to explore ideas about the nature, basis, and principles of healthy living and relations. They will learn concepts relating to identity, gender, race, emotional and physical health of the individual and the community, as well as social norms and trends, which shape human interactions and behavior and act as barriers to coexistence. By the end of the course, they be able apply this learning in their various leadership roles to promote healthy relations at individual and societal levels.
4. Inclusive Citizenship and Social Activism: Protecting and Promoting Individual & Collective Duties, Responsibility, and Liberty:
Participant in the “Inclusive Citizenship and Social Activism” course will be trained on how promote a just and equitable society – a society free from all forms of marginalization, insecurity, and oppression. The workshop will enhance the participants’ understanding of how to prevent both individual and collective harm and how to promote long-term collective benefit, as the foundation of a just society. At the end of the course, participants will gain knowledge on how to promote the creation of a just and equitable society through mutual charity, compassion, and good fellowship – a society in which the social order conforms to both natural and constitutional law; and be able to apply that learning in their daily roles as leaders.
The program is designed to target the following group categories:
• Imams with religious education (degree and ijaza holders)
• Muslim chaplains
• Other religious leaders/scholars
• Leaders and manager of Islamic centers and organizations
• Leaders and manager of all faith-based organizations.