Dicastery of the Conviction of the Ummah
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The Dicastery of the Conviction of the Ummah (Packilvanian: luMijhaliyaray aluMadrasiyasilam aluYumah) is a department of the Magisterium of Paxism that is responsible for overseeing the teaching of religion throughout Paxism. Its purpose is to ensure that all education and teaching of religious matters such as the canon law of Paxism and the principles and philosophy of Assimilation fall within the principles of the Bas Magdamar as interpreted by the Magisterium and encoded in the Cathecism and other documents of the Magisterium.
The Dicastery forms part of the Office of the Supreme Magister of Paxism and reports directly to the Supreme Magister and the Council of Great Magisters. The head of the body is called the Chief Convictor. The Chief Convictor must be a member in good standing who has exemplified good character and exhibited excellent leadership capabilities. Nominations are made by and through the Council of Great Magisters to the Supreme Magister who alone wields the power to dismiss and appoint the Chief Convictor. The incumbent is Ruhdib Mulduk since 2021, a High Magister who originates from Iganar and was the Assistant and Advisor to the Great Magister of Iganar.
The Dicastery sits alongside other similar bodies established by and existing within the Magisterium to co-ordinate its work and tackle specialised areas such as the Dicastery of the Inquisition of Hiraam, the Dicastery of the Oversight of the Priesthood and Prophethood, the Dicastery of the Inquisition of the Supernatural and Divine among others. In this capacity, the Chief Convictor is a member of the Congregation of the Counsellors of the Magisterium which is a forum that makes proposals and gives advice to the Supreme Magister and the Council of Magisters. The Dicastery is arguably one of the if not the most powerful of the structures within the Magisterium as it regulates the teachings that span the entire religion and shapes what is discussed and how it is approached in universities, seminaries and congregations.
It can request the removal of teachers of the Faith such as professors in universities or requests the censure of priests and other teaching officials. In the rule of the Bedonite dynasty, the body has been especially relevant in curtailing speech, both in academic and other contexts, that the Magisterium believes is harmful. For instance, it has recommended the removal of Prof Thulmeed Ashkhaniya from his position as a Professor in the School of Theology of the University of Bingol and Prof Yabadiam Washmaheed, the Fidakarian Research Chair for Philosophy of Prophet Inhadek. Sapient rights activists have argued that the organisation is a purveyor of censorship and has lambasted it for shutting down critics of the government on trumped up charges, accusations that the body has denied, or accusations of trying to conform teachings outside of Packilvania with more orthodox ideals, accusations the body denies.
It used to directly run universities and schools and has been instrumental in the establishment of formal education in Packilvania. Through establishing seminaries, these evolved into high schools, universities and other research and educational bodies. It has also been instrumental in women's education through establishing prestigious institutions such as the Sultana Zulayka Women's University and the Sultana Malayka Women's University. It established the Imperial Society for Theology and Natural Sciences, one of the foremost institutions for theological and natural sciences research in Packilvania known for leading and ground breaking work in physics, biology and chemistry whose Fellows have been recipients of the Fidal Prize. It also awards notable researchers in a variety of fields such as the Imodin I Prize named after the first Supreme Magister to recognise notable research as well as the Exarion VI Scholarship which is one of the largest and most prestigious non-government scholarships in the country.
The Dicastery is based in the city of Akas Akil in the province of Ashura in Packilvania. Its seat is the Palace of Exarion VI (luQasoor aExarion muSaasht). The Palace was built in the late 17th century by Supreme Magister Khameed II and named after Supreme Magister Exarion VI, who founded the Dicastery. The Palace sits on Magisterial Square (luSahaj ameMakhees) which has the Obelisk of the Esmas in the middle. The Palace of Exarion VI is built in the Ornamental Style that was popular at the time and is seen in buildings such as the Majhid of the Veneration of the Martyrs. It houses offices, lecture halls and libraries used by the Dicastery and its staff. The area is a centre of the Magisterium's presence as other palaces for other Magisterial institutions such as the Dicastery of the Inquisition of Hiraam in the Palace of Holmeed II to the east and the the Dicastery of the Sacred Pilgrimage across from it in the Sojourners' Palace across the square to the north.