How Does Someone Become an Imam?
It is difficult to describe the methods to become an imam. The term imam means several different things to the different Islamic sects. So, for example, anyone who leads prayers at a prayer service is temporarily an imam. To become an imam in this sense one may merely need to be an adult male. The term imam is also given to some heads of Arabic states. So for example, the Shiite Islamic sect considers Ayatollah Khomeini an imam. The term imam can mean simply leader and can be more a title of honor than a job for which one prepares. Some Islamic congregations do hire an imam to work in much the same function as a parish priest or rabbi. He may help guide the congregation, but often the job of discussing the Qur’an is left up to a Sheikh. There are very rare groups of both Sunni and Shiite might accept a female imam. Like Christianity, there is some debate as to whether the traditional prohibition against female leaders is based on historical patriarchy and sexism, and not on the spirit
