NAIROBI– Jamia Mosque Nairobi has appointed Sheikh Sayed Salman Aslam as its new Deputy Imam, with the Islamic scholar expected to take up the position in September.

Sheikh Salman currently serves as the Deputy Imam of Parklands Mosque, a role he has held since 2023. He has also been overseeing the affairs of Parklands Mosque and Madrasa since 2019.

His appointment followed a competitive selection process conducted by the Majlis Ulamaa, the council of scholars at Jamia Mosque, under the chairmanship of Sheikh Muhammad Salim Badamana.

The position became vacant after Sheikh Jamaludin Osman, who had been serving as Deputy Imam, was elevated to Imam following the death of Sheikh Muhammad Swalihu in 2022. Sheikh Swalihu served as Jamia Mosque’s Imam for more than 27 years.

Jamia Mosque Nairobi has appointed Sheikh Salman Aslam as its new Deputy Imam following a rigorous selection process involving several candidates.

The position had remained vacant after former Deputy Imam Sheikh Jamaludin Osman Haji took over as Imam following the death of the… pic.twitter.com/mpYY4oR94x

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Sheikh Salman was formally introduced to the Jamia Mosque congregation during Friday prayers, where the mosque leadership urged worshippers to accord him the same support and cooperation extended to Imam Sheikh Jamaludin Osman.

“On behalf of the Jamia Mosque Committee, we are happy to announce the appointment of Sheikh Salman Aslam as the Deputy Imam,” said Sheikh Ibrahim Lethome, the mosque’s Da’wah Convenor.

Sheikh Lethome also appealed to the congregation to work closely with the newly appointed Deputy Imam.

A hafidh who has memorised the Qur’an, Sheikh Salman is also proficient in the seven recognised recitations of the Qur’an.

He previously taught at Madrasatul Qur’an Karim in Muthaiga, where he handled subjects including hadith, fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), seerah (the biography of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him), tajweed and tafseer. He also served as head of the institution’s Department of Islamic Studies.

At Parklands Mosque, Sheikh Salman has led Taraweeh prayers for nearly two decades, in addition to his responsibilities as Deputy Imam.

His academic background includes a Shahadatul Alimiya (Dars-e-Nizami) qualification from Jamia Falahe Darain Tadkeshwar in Gujarat, India, which he completed in 2016. The qualification is considered equivalent to a master’s degree.

During his studies, he specialised in Tafseer-ul-Qur’an, Usul al-Hadith, Usul al-Fiqh, Arabic grammar and Seerah.

In 2020, he earned a diploma in Qur’an and Science from the Islamic University of Kenya, formerly known as RAF University.

Sheikh Salman’s appointment adds to the leadership of one of Kenya’s oldest and most prominent mosques as it continues its religious, educational and community outreach programmes.