Salt Lake-area Muslims have a new imam leading prayers at their mosque in West Valley City.
Farid Farooqi began officiating at the Khadeeja Islamic Center late last week, replacing Shuaib-ud Din, who was dismissed from his duties there earlier this year. Din pleaded guilty in April to three criminal charges after admitting he assaulted his wife in January. At one point, the couple's young son was present during the abuse.
Farooqi told the Deseret Morning News that he hopes to help members of the mosque move beyond the disruption within their community the past few months. As Muslims, "we're very sensitive" about negative publicity, he said. "When bad something happens, people are scared that it should not be a Muslim."
When the former imam "violated certain rules of Islam, the community decided that while he is no longer able to guide us, of course we are human beings and the community understands that we do make mistakes," Farooqi said.
"Certain mistakes are at the level that they can affect or misguide the entire community. Whatever happened with abuse, that's against the teaching of Islam. A person cannot teach something he is violating himself. The community could not continue with him as a role model."
Farooqi, who was recently selected by the Islamic Society's executive committee as the new imam, said as a medical doctor he would like to see the former imam get some psychological help if needed. On a spiritual level, "I'm personally planning to talk to him and counsel him" if that is desired, he said.
Before coming in Utah, Farooqi lived in Kingman, Ariz., and had come to the mosque earlier this year as a guest speaker, apparently during the upheaval caused by the former imam's actions.
Tarik Nosseir, president of the mosque's executive committee, said that group interviewed three potential candidates before selecting Farooqi unanimously. "The congregation was leaning that way before we voted, and most people are happy with it," he said.
Informal networking is common among Muslims in the United States, so it wasn't necessary to send out formal notice of their search for a new imam, Nosseir said, adding that Farooqi's appointment has been announced at other mosques along the Wasatch Front.
The new imam said he went to medical school in St. Lucia and spent two years working in medicine at the hospital in Kingman, graduating as a medical doctor in 2006. He said he's planning to postpone practicing medicine for a year to serve at the mosque, and then both he and the executive committee will decide whether he should stay.
He said he feels a great responsibility to "convey the true messages of Islam to the public" — the importance of a total submission to God and the establishment of peace on the earth.
"If someone doesn't carry these two qualities, no matter how much they claim to be Muslim, they are not considered to be in the eyes of God. An imam must make sure everyone understands that if they claim they are Muslim, they must carry these qualities."
In addition to leading daily prayers, Farooqi's duties will include overseeing religious education at the Islamic center, performing funeral prayers and marriage services, counseling families and working directly with young people, he said.
He was trained in religious education and has the entire Quran memorized. He is considered an expert in recitation, Quranic interpretation and tradition, he said.
Farooqi immigrated to the United States from Pakistan nearly 10 years ago. He and his wife have three children, ages 8, 5 and 3. "I have only one wife. I have to make that clear because I'm in Utah now," he said, smiling.
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