Not a moment too soon, but perhaps a few decades too late, Saudi Arabia’s government is going to start making sure that its imams (who are, after all, at least partially on government payroll) learn about tolerance. Whether they can get them to practice and preach tolerance are entirely other questions that need to be answered as well. If the government stays on course, and stays on top of post-training practice, this could be a good thing.

Details can be found in this BBC report:

Saudis to retrain 40,000 clerics
Magdi Abdlehadi

Saudi Arabia is to retrain its 40,000 prayer leaders – also known as imams – in an effort to counter militant Islam.

Details of the plan were revealed in the influential Saudi newspaper Al- Sharq al-Awsat.

The plan is part of a wider programme launched by the Saudi monarch a few years ago to encourage moderation and tolerance in Saudi society.

The ministry of religious affairs and new centre for national dialogue will carry out the training, the paper said.

The centre was created five years ago to disseminate a moderate interpretation of Islamic tradition.

There is growing awareness in Saudi society that security measures alone are not enough to counter the threat of Islamic militancy.
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