Imams who allow the development and distribution of unlicensed books and leaflets will be held accountable and subject to sanctions, said the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call, Endowments and Guidance.
The ministry charged a number of departments and bureaus with the task of scrutinizing the content of books and publications within the premises of mosques. Any violation of Islamic law in these publications will be considered an act of neglect by imams.
The warnings came in the wake of finding a pamphlet containing contradictions to the core essence of the Islamic teachings by a citizen at a mosque located between Madinah and Qasim.
In earlier precautionary steps, some imams announced on billboards near mosque entrances that any books, leaflets or tapes were prohibited until their content is inspected.
Tawfiq Al-Sudairi, undersecretary for Mosques Affairs at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, said that the ministry formed a team of experts to supervise the legal, regulatory, executive and organizational affairs of mosque employees.
“The ministry has revised the regulations concerning imams, muezzins and workers at mosques and has developed a document under the name “Employees of Mosques,” said Al-Sudairi, adding that the ministry is considering raising their salaries.
Al-Sudairi said that the ministry stipulated a binding condition when appointing imams, that they should hold a university degree.
“The experts’ team is currently reviewing about 50 studies concerning provisions in mosques, such as the calling for prayers on the night of the 20th of Ramadan and other issues related to Friday prayers,” he concluded.
Imams told to refrain from circulating banned literature
