The Easton Phillipsburg Muslim Association (EPMA) invites candidates to apply for the full time Imam position. EPMA serves a diverse Muslim community in the greater Lehigh Valley area in Pennsylvania. Our center is conveniently located in eastern Pennsylvania, and it is only hour and half away from two major cities (New York and Philadelphia).
The Imam will be the spiritual leader of our community, and his duties shall include but not limited to:
Imam
- Manage prayer times
- Lead 2-3 daily prayers in the masjid – (ex. Fajr, Maghrib, Isha) (flexible)
- Lead special prayers in the masjid, such as Eid, Janazah, Eclipse prayers.
- Lead taraweeh during Ramadan
- Dedicated time towards community engagement and community building
Educator
- Deliver Khutbah for at least 2-3 Jummah every month
- Conduct khatiras on diverse topics to the community on a regular basis. A minimum of one dars per week (example youth, sisters, family talks, new Muslim class).
- Facilitate programs/workshops that promote continuous learning in the masjid
- Teach at least one period of older kids’ class at Weekend School
- Quran expert (determine vision and scope of Quran programs at EPMA)
- Generating and reviewing curriculum taught at EPMA and EPMA Weekend School (as part of School board)
- Provide recommendations for agenda and personalities visiting EPMA.
Ramadan
- Lead taraweeh and witr along with Khatira. Lead or coordinate Qiyaam ul Layl
- Open and close masjid for daily prayers
Advisor
- To masjid’s board, committees, and activities and ensure compliance within Shariah
- Establish office hours of at least 4 hours per week for the community (2 of them on weekend) – Adjust per demand.
Officiator of marriage, funerals, divorces, fundraising support and arbitration as needed.
Liaison between EPMA and other faith communities (mosques, churches, synagogues, etc) and organizations (schools, governments).
To apply for this position, the candidate must be willing to perform the above tasks and also meet the following requirements:
- Degree in Islamic studies and education from accredited/recognized Islamic University/Institution.
- US education is preferred.
- Fluent in English, speaking, reading, and writing.
- Knowledge of Arabic language grammar.
- Must be a legal resident with green card or US citizenship and must have lived in the USA for considerable amount of time.
- Previous experience as an Imam in diverse communities (full time / part time / Ramadan).
- Quran recitation with proper Tajweed skills. He must have memorized significant portion of the Quran. Hifz of the entire Quran is preferred.
- Strong communication, organizational, leadership and interpersonal skills.
- Good understanding of challenges facing Muslim youth in the USA.
- Ability to interact with and relate to the youths is required.
- Must value and respect diversity and promote unity.
- Ability to provide counseling sessions (in area of expertise) to community members as needed.
Additional Core Values:
- Preserving an Islamically informed environment for the generations
- Leading by example the values of the Quran and Sunnah, offering a visual role model for those that likely cannot find it elsewhere
- Being accessible to brothers and sisters without the loss of formality, or the intrusion of personal lives, or non-observation of modesty between genders in speech and action
- Being sensitive of all brothers’ and sisters’ backgrounds, upbringing, and levels of Islamic education, showing empathy and not belligerence to those who do not know or cannot find the resolve to practice.
- Instilling an appreciation of Islamic law (fiqh) and tolerance of scholarly opinions, especially those of the 4 madhahib, lest people walk away from the tradition or use it to alienate others and justify divisiveness.
- Punctuality is key (including prayer times and speaking occasions)
Salary for the position is commensurate with qualification and experience.
Interested candidates should send their resume along with references, recommendations and credentials