Algerian women will have religious guides of the same sex

By Hamid Ghemrasa, IOL Correspondent

ALGIERS, April 26 (IslamOnline.net) – The Algerian authorities have appointed 184 women for the new post of "religious guides", in an effort to eliminate illiteracy among women and raise their religious awareness in the Muslim country.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and Endowments created the job after religious lessons by female lecturers proved a remarkable success in several places.

"The new appointees would attend to women in mosques, hospitals, prisons and infirmaries," said Abdullah Tamin, an advisor to the minister of religious affairs and endowments.

The guide should have a university degree in Islamic Shari`ah or Jurisprudence (Islamic Law), combined with a wide cultural background and memorization of Qur’an, Tamin said.

"The ministry officials found good results made by some guides, with some managing to reduce the rate of illiteracy among women via intensive lessons.

"They also pushed women to mark religious occasions and events in the life of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him)," he averred.

They also help imams prepare for speeches upon request.

Making Peace

The female religious guides are entitled to teach women how to memorize Qur’an and have more knowledge on the Islamic Law or Shari`ah.

They also intervene to help split-up couples bury the hatchet and make peace, said the ministerial advisor.

Tamin added the guides are to serve in ministries of health, justice and social protection.

"Most of the guides proved a success in prisons, rehabilitation centers, hospitals and infirmaries," he noted.

The guides will also travel with aged people making it for pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as of next season.