This is particularly important to make issue of, because it occurs far too often. Amongst Muslims the Term “Imām” represents one of the most Coveted-Titles which can be bestowed upon any Muslim-Male. The Actual-Meaning of the Term is “One whom heads/leads Others.”.
(Lisān-ul-`Arab: Lexicon of the Arabic-Language, ibn-Manzhūr)
It’s often conventionally understood/misunderstood, interpreted/misinterpreted, presumed/assumed, etc. that whomever dons this Title and/or is granted the Title is an “`Ālim” (Person-Of-Knowledge, Academic, Scholar, Religio-Authority, etc.). By default, Imāms are automatically placed in the Same-Category as those whom pontificate/claim the Titles: Shaykh/Teacher, Ustādh (Professor/Lecturer), etc. or granted Those-Titles by their Communities, Peers, Teachers, etc. So, if/when any Muslim-Male is viewed as being in the Position of being an “Imām” are immediately catapulted into an Arena which can often yield: Egotism, Arrogance, Despotism, Thirst/Lust for Influence, Power, Authority, etc. So much so, that even Muhammad (Peace be upon them) stated: “Whomever is made a Judge/Ruler between People, has been slaughtered without even a Weapon.”.
(Abū-Dāwud)
As for me, personally, as a Muslim-Male Chaplain: I’m literally challenged by this on a Daily. I’m constantly/consistently faced with Fellow-Muslims attempting to trap me into a Boxed-In/Pigeon-Holed Space, because of my Chaplaincy-Profession. Something important to note is that (historically & contemporaneously) the Vast-Majority of Muslim-Male Chaplains have never been (nor will ever be) “Imāms”, as conventionally understood/misunderstood by Other-Muslims. So, because of the Linguistic/Implied-Meaning of the Term “Imām”: Muslim-Male Chaplains are thereby unjustly expected to live their Lives as “Community-Leaders”, yet ironically the Role of a Muslim-Chaplain has nothing to do with al-Imāmah/Leadership & everything to do with al-Khidmah/Service. A Chaplain is a Servant of the People: empowering them with Tools to correct their own Narratives of the Human-Condition…we are not anyone’s “Leaders”.
Gareth Bryant
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