Women clerics counter al-Qaida teachings

Published: May 6, 2008 at 7:45 AM

RABAT, Morocco, May 6 (UPI) -- Scholars in Morocco launched a program to train female Muslim clerics in an effort to counter the ideologies of al-Qaida, officials said.

More than 400 applicants applied to courses in general business management, Islamic studies and psychology. Applicants must have a university degree and expertise in the Koran and only 50 women will be accepted, Med Basin Newsline said Tuesday.

Moroccan officials say the program is intended to counter al-Qaida recruitment tactics and teachings but critics said the women face obstacles regarding restrictions to mosques and interactions with other women.

"This is a rare experiment in the Muslim world," Mohammed Mahfudh, the director of a school embracing the program, told Med Basin Newsline.

Graduates serve as spiritual guides in community centers, prisons and schools.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Order reprints



Additional News Stories
Wickmayer discusses doping suspension (6 min)
CDC estimates 22M had H1N1, 3,900 died (51 min)
New Orleans Hornets fire Coach Byron Scott
Chicago students arrested after food fight
Intel to pay AMD $1.25B settlement
UPI NewsTrack Business
Crude oil prices slide hard Thursday
fark
Murder suspect tells jury he has the cure for global warming, knows how to win in Afghanistan, and...
...and when they covered the Jews' cars in sticky-notes I said nothing, because I was not a Jew
Photoshop this barrier balancer
You can make your very own Tamiflu at home. I'm sure this will end well
Ohio couple married 61 years and died one day apart. There is no escape. Did you hear me? NO ESCAPE...
Elmo vs Spiderman vs Chewbacca: LA's superhero turf wars heat up again