Humaid bin Salem favours better understanding of religion

ABU DHABI // While often quiet during the FNC’s public debates, Humaid bin Salem plays an active role in the two committees he sits on.

As a member of the Islamic Affairs, Awqaf and Public Facilities committee, he has made several trips to check on challenges faced by the Islamic affairs authority.

During a visit earlier this year to the authority in Abu Dhabi, he told officials that Muslims needed guidance on sources of fatwas and teachings to distinguish between legitimate imams and those who were pretenders or extremists.

“Before if people saw any person wearing a turban on TV, no one would question him,” Mr bin Salem said at the time of the visit.

“Now with commercial channels people need to know and question before they take what the imams say for granted. They need to know where is the right place to go for religious references.”

He said that even though extremist views were rare in the UAE, Muslims still needed to be more aware of their religion.

“We do not need to market religion, we need to make sure it is understood,” he said.

He said religious education teachers, particularly those in private institutes, needed to be monitored.

“They are the ones who put ideas into our children’s heads,” Mr bin Salem said. “This is the most dangerous phase in a person’s life when they are easily influenced, just when they want to learn about religion. We must concentrate on these teachers.”

During a public session debate with the head of the authority, Mr bin Salem said Awfaq needed a clear plan for the Emiratisation of imams.

Mr bin Salem is also a member of the foreign affairs, planning and petrol, mineral resources and agriculture and fisheries committees.