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Iraq adopts moderate religious discourse to erase IS legacy in liberated provinces

By Alaa Al-Huwaijel

BAGHDAD, Aug 28 (KUNA) -- It is time for the preacher giving the Friday sermon in the Iraqi Ramadi Great Mosque to promote moderation, unity and fraternity among all components of the Iraqi people.
When Al-Ramadi, the provincial capital of Iraq's largest governorate of Al-Anbar, northwest of Baghdad, was seized by the so-called Islamic State (IS), preachers from the terror group then nurtured and promoted violence, the killing of others and enslaving women.
Mosques were then used to disseminate political and religious extremist thoughts.
Eight months ago, the Iraqi military ousted the group from the city, and six months later from Al-Fallujah, also in Al-Anbar.
The call for unity and moderation is a part of a government plan to eliminate the poisonous radical thoughts, offering a different and balanced religious discourse, in the areas that have been liberated from the group, where mosques are a major source of guidance in such religiously conservative communities.
The Council of Representatives' Religious Endowments and Affairs Committee and Sunni Endowment Diwan are administrating mosques in the governorates of Al-Anbar and Salah-Eddin, north of Baghdad, in the post-IS era, head of the parliamentary body Abduladheem Al-Ajman told KUNA.
He added that they are working in line with a program adopted by the National Commission for the Protection of Peaceful Coexistence and the Fight against Extremism and Terrorism.
The commission was through an initiative from the parliament last November, for spreading moderation amidst the Iraqi society.
It has already commenced the mission in the former IS controlled areas, like Al-Fallujah, picking out mosque Imams, in a serious bid to emend the religious discourse harmonious with the real teachings and values of the Islam, Al-Ajman said.
The Sunni Endowment Diwan will not allow preachers who supported IS and paved the way for extremist and deviant thoughts to make a comeback, he stressed.
For his part, head of the Sunni Endowment Diwan Dr. Abdullateef Al-Hamim said that they had prepared a comprehensive study on the task, more than six months before.
It includes the formation of specialized committee assigned with studying the future administration of mosques.
A major task is re-examining preachers in Al-Anbar, Salah-Eddin and Nineveh mosques, excluding unqualified ones, Al-Hamim said.
A key criteria of success is how far the preachers abide by the method of moderation.
According to Al-Hamim, the Diwan will organize training courses for the preachers in Egypt's Al-Azhar and Kuwait.
Up to 500 courses will be organized at home to qualify 14,000 preachers.
For his part, head of the tribal council of Al-Anbar Faisal Al-Assafi, said that extremism in province's mosques had been promoted under the defunct Saddam (Hussein) regime, through what was then dubbed "Faith Campaign." It was the gate through which extremists crept into the Muslim communities in Al-Anbar, he stressed.
Al-Qaeda, the IS and other terrorist later came to build on it, Al-Assafi said.
For the tribal sheikh, security in Al-Anbar will not be stable when mosques restore their natural role, a platform for tolerant and moderate thinking, and a center for love and fraternity, embodying Islam's noble values and principles. (end) ahh.msa