 Although either duty can be performed by anyone who is regarded as qualified by the congregation, at most well-established mosques "imam khatib" is a permanent part-time or full-time position.He may be elected by the local community, or appointed by an outside authority – e.g., the national government, or the waqf which sustains the mosque.There is no ordination as such; the only requirement for appointment as an "imam khatib" is recognition as someone of sufficient learning and virtue to perform both duties on a regular basis, and to instruct the congregation in the basics of Islam.