Islamic Minister Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed stated today that when leading prayers in a mosque, the larger the congregation, the shorter the imam's recitation should be.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Symposium for Young Khatibs, the minister stated that every Muslim should have the capability to be an imam.

Highlighting the importance of prioritizing the well-being and interests of the congregation when leading prayers, Shaheem noted that even if one recites the Quran very beautifully, keeping the recitation short as the congregation grows larger is what is demonstrated by the Sunnah.

Even if someone recites the Quran very beautifully, the minister stated that the larger the congregation, the shorter their recitation in prayer should be. He also stated that imams must consider the circumstances of others during special situations, such as rainy weather or intense heat.

"Sometimes we hear complaints that so-and-so recites very long in prayer; we must think very carefully about the interests of the congregation. There will be sick people in the congregation, people who cannot stand for very long, travelers, and those with various valid excuses," the minister stated.

"People come to the congregational prayer out of love to earn the reward of participating in the congregation, to earn 27 times the reward. By the time the person finishes the prayer and goes home, they are extremely exhausted or burdened."

The minister called upon young khatibs to be role models while living in society and provided guidance on how actions regarding Islamic matters should be maintained.

Minister Shaheem also stated that Maldivians have remained part of the Islamic Ummah for nine centuries due to generation after generation sustaining the manifestation of Islamic شعار (emblems), and that the effort to train khatibs is an undertaking to build a generation that will manifest Islamic emblems for the next 100 years.

Coinciding with the 900th anniversary of the Maldives embracing Islam, over 300 khatibs participated in the Symposium for Young Khatibs that commenced today. The ministry stated that Makkah Grand Mosque Imam Dr. Yasser Al-Dossari is participating in the symposium.