(Swiss Info) Around 130 imams are active in Switzerland, mostly Sunnis, and many of whom receive their religious training abroad in the Balkans, Turkey, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, an in-depth university study has reported.
Research by the Swiss Centre for Islam and Society (SZIG) at the University of Fribourg has shown that 130 imams are active in mosques and other places of prayer in Switzerland.
Almost all are Sunnis, and almost half are of Turkish origin. The Albanian-speaking community — mainly from Kosovo and northern Macedonia — are catered to by 40 imams, 30 of whom work full-time. There are also 13 of Bosnian origin, and 15-20 from the Arab world.
There is currently no standard training programme for imams in Switzerland, and most of them receive their religious training abroad.
