Working with the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, and Zakat has developed the "Emiratization of Imams" program.

Reflecting a common commitment to improving the qualifications of individuals in several legal spheres, this project intends to train and qualify Emirati imams and preachers. There will be twenty-five Emirati participants in the four-month initiative.

The course addresses a broad range of subjects vital for the job of an imam. Participants will pick up Tajweed procedures and phonetics, study imam jurisprudence, acquire linguistic and practical skills, The curriculum will also cover the essential beliefs and ethics of an imam, go over Sheikh Zayed's legacy, talk about intellectual security, and provide participants psychological and sociological tools. Along with actual experience in UAE religious organizations, public speaking and rhetoric will also be essential elements of the course.

His Excellency Dr. Omar Habtoor Al Darei, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, and Zakat, underlined during the program's introduction that this endeavor complements the UAE's vision and the directions of its smart leadership. Emphasizing their dedication to national interests and their role in safeguarding UAE culture and security, he described the major part mosques contribute to the nation. Dr. Al Darei claims that the UAE's mosques promote moderation and free from extremism, so acting as models of civilization. Equipped with human values and tuned to scientific developments and worldwide trends, he characterized the qualified imam as a well-educated person who reflects national identity and acts as a protective shield for society.

Dr. Al Darei also underlined the need of localizing mosque employment as a national policy, thereby stressing the leadership's will to enable national talent. Emphasizing the need of self-sufficiency in religious resources for a sustainable future, he said, "Empowering national cadres comes at the forefront of our priorities," Starting with colleges and working through memory centers, he urged group responsibility in this large-scale endeavor. Every person who joins the religious field is a great benefit to the country, so Dr. Al Darei underlined the importance of patience, effort, and planning in order to sustain great religious skills.

His Majesty Speaking on the value of the program, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanities, Dr. Mohammed Rashid Al Hamli said that the "Imams Localization" initiative reflects the ambition of the leadership to improve and qualify religious professionals. He underlined that this program results from the ongoing cooperation between the university and the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, intended to generate a cohort of imams with intellectual capacity and high scientific ability able of fulfilling their responsibilities with wisdom and moderation.

Dr. Al Hamli went over the entire course the institution offers under the Imams Localization Program. All of which seek to improve the imam's competency in their position, it covers a wide range of topics including Quranic recitation, interpretation, Maliki jurisprudence, and the ethics of imamate. The curriculum stresses the need of teaching fundamental principles and knowledge of the state's religious institutions thereby enhancing the whole educational process of the participants.

Dr. Al Hamli thanked the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, and Zakat for their consistent support of the Mohammed bin Zayed University for Humanistic. He understood the great part such ambitious projects play in creating a bright future for the religious personnel of the country. Apart from improving the capacity of Emirati imams, the cooperation between the two institutions aspires to build a religious community in the UAE a wise, tolerant, and knowledgeable culture. By means of this program, the university and the authority commit themselves to equip the imams of the future to lead their respective communities responsibly and successfully.