By P.K. Abdul Ghafour
Jeddah: Over half of the Friday sermon listeners do not remember the subject of the sermon, according to a recent survey conducted by the King Abdul Aziz National Dialogue Center.
However, more than two-thirds of the 685 respondents, picked randomly from the Kingdom’s 13 regions, said sermons had impacted their lives.
About 52.4 percent of respondents wanted sermons to focus on social issues, while more than 74 percent said they do not seek guidance from prayer leaders, indicating a lack of personal communication between preachers and their audience.
“About 60.4 percent of participants said they found the sermons appealing, while 31.6 percent said preachers encouraged them to deal with personal and social issues in a positive manner,” the survey said.
Ismail Maritheri of King Abdulaziz University, a counselor, trainer and academic, emphasized the significance of Friday sermons in changing society and renewing spiritual energy. He said the survey results emphasized the need to train spiritual leaders to deliver more appealing sermons in order to attract people.
“There must be an element of information and enlightenment, as well as conducive methods for personal, social and family development,” Maritheri told Arab News.
“Preachers who deliver sermons must be able to inform, motivate, inspire and enlighten people to achieve success in this world and the hereafter.”
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