European Journal of Scientific Research - EuroJournals

376 Nazenin Ruso
b) Literate/ Illiterate
c) Old/ Young
d) Poor/ Rich
10. The number of people who continuously attend your mosque ________
The capacity of your mosque ________
Please put numbers next to the times your mosque is most crowded by indicating 1 as the most
crowded?
a) Everyday
b) Friday prayers
c) Bayram prayers
d) At “Kandil” nights/ Special nights
e) At Ramadan/ At “Teravi”
11. Have you realized any increase or decrease within the number of people who attend your mosque
in the recent years?
If yes, what do you think is the reason behind this?
12. How was religious education in past?
13. How do children get their religious education now? Do you know which topics are taught at
school? What can be done to improve the religious education of students at schools?
14. How should children get their religious education outside of the school?
What can be done by the families?
What can be done by the government?
15. What will happen to our religious values if we join to European Union?
16. What will happen to our educational values if we join to European Union?
Findings
Information about Imams
Firstly, Imams in Cyprus choose their occupation mainly to fulfill the religious needs of their society
members, to provide peace and ease for the society, to help the continuation of Islam religion to fulfill
the duties of God and Prophet. However, it should also be added that there are a few Imams who chose
their occupation as it is an easy and a guarantee government job due to monthly salary. For some of the
Imams, being an Imam is a family job for about four hundred years. Majority of the Imams are
graduates of religious schools such as “Imam Hatip Lycee” and “Theology Faculty”. It should be noted
that Imams value education a lot. There are some Imams who graduated from two different universities
and some completed their MA degree, as well. Only around 10% of the Imams are primary school
graduates. Imams reported that the best person is the person who can deal with this world and afterlife
at the same time and they have the chance to provide religious information to people. Almost all of the
Imams pointed out that they are very happy with their jobs because the concept of religion is the most
effective solution to all kind of social and spiritual problems in life. Their happiness is related with
being unique in carrying out such a divine occupation. An Imam believes that it is extremely difficult
to express his religious emotions on his divine duty and compares this difficulty as explaining the taste
of honey to a person who never tried honey and adds that a person has to live these emotions by
devoting himself to religion.
Imams Definition of Education
Then the Imams were asked to define the meaning of the word “education” and what it should involve.
Too many comments are made to this question concerning education. Imams define education as the
best investment made for human beings. For Imams life without education is not possible. Even eating
bread requires education and the role of parents is vital in the process of education. Most of the Imams
define education as identifying irregularities and making them regular, changing rudeness with