Ramzan offers ample jobs to huffaaz

HYDERABAD: It is no secret that a vast majority of madrassa students are at a disadvantage in terms of qualifying for jobs compared to ‘recipients’ of modern education. But come the holy month of Ramzan, thousands of huffaaz, who have memorized the Quran, get employed in various mosques dotted across the city as imams, who lead the taraweeh (special night prayers).
Those in the know, like Anwar Ahmed, a lecturer at the Islamic seminary Jamia Nizamia in Shibligunj, along with several others, peg the number of huffaaz to around 5,000. Every year, the number of these Quran ‘memorisers’ swells, he adds. Explaining the changing dynamics of mosques and imams, he says, “Till over a decade ago, there were a fewer huffaaz and many mosques. Now, there is an opposite trend. But this does not mean that these reciters are out of jobs. On the contrary, Ramzan provides them with plentiful opportunities.”
As it turns out, these huffaz lead the prayers in many mosques on a “rotation basis”. Anwar Ahmed explains, “The system of Ramzan works on ten-day stretches. There are many mosques in which the managing committees arrange for a particular hafiz on the first 10 days, another hafiz in the next set, and so on.”
And for those who do not find an opportunity to lead taraweeh in mosques, there are prayers are organised in the intimate setting of the home. Others are arranged at larger venues such as function halls. “Prayers organised at homes comprise a gathering of family members and close friends because it may be difficult for some pray at the mosque every night. Those organised at larger venues are for the sake of convenience,” says Mohammed Ilyas, one such imam.
The salaries too have improved, notes Anwar Ahmed. “There was a time when these imams were paid a pittance. Now, many are being paid Rs 10,000 per month for two hours of recitation. In certain mosques, they are paid as much as Rs 50,000 per month. While reciting the Quran is paramount, the salary in Ramzan gives them a much-needed breather,” he says.
But others claim that more needs to be done. According to Maqsood Yamani from the Deena Madaris Board, an association of over 300 madrassas from the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, a large number of such huffaaz are being paid Rs 4,000 per month. “The community in general and managing committees in particular must ensure that the otherwise poor imam should be paid at least Rs 20,000 in Ramzan,” he says.