REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG -- West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil prepared English language training program for clerics and ulemas in the province. According to him, after mastering English they would be sent to several countries in Europe and America to preach.
“I will prioritize to send ulemas and clerics to the countries that often misunderstood Islam,” Ridwan said on Tuesday (Sept 25).
Ridwan or usually called Emil said Spain would be in the top list. He noticed there has been a wave of citizens who become mualaf or new converts to Islam in Spain.
“Because in Spain, there is wave of people become mualaf. People there don’t practice their religious worship, on average now there are atheists but many atheists are stuck on the questions of their lives," Emil said.
Emil said in Spain, many musholla (small prayer rooms) was built recently. He has even been asked by Muslims there to design a large mosque two months ago.
“Then I asked why they wanted to build mosque, and they answered because increasing number of Spanish people converted to Islam and they only had small prayer rooms," Emil said.
In early next month, the English language training program for ulemas and clerics will begin. Emil asked Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) West Java to give the list of names of ulemas and clerics who wanted to be trained. West Java Provincial Government has also prepared facilities and trainers.
Emil expected the ulemas and clerics from West Java could fill the mission in the country. He said the requirement is only one, that they must be able to speak English.
Previously, MUI West Java head Rachmat Syafei said that he welcomed the plan. Based on the results of his talks with Emil, he also supported the sending of ulemas and clerics from West Java to abroad.
According to Rachmat, based on Emil's experience that was told to him, many people abroad, especially in United States (US) knew Islam from Middle Eastern ulemas. However, he assessed the introduction of Islam from Indonesia is better than the Middle East because Indonesian scholars came from a peaceful country which affected their teachings.
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