JEDDAH: A final decision is expected early next month on a payment row involving workers at the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques, a legal representative of the employees said on Sunday.
The presidency has refused to transfer salaries into the bank accounts of 500 employees, claiming it was sinful and went against Islamic teachings.
The Administrative Court in Jeddah had earlier issued a judgment in favor of the employees. All documents in support of the employees’ case have been submitted to the judge examining the case at the Court of Grievances in Jeddah, the representative said.
“If there were any religious taboo on the transfer of salaries to bank accounts, scholars in the other departments would have objected to it,” the legal representative told Arab News.
Meanwhile, the presidency has refused to back down. “We hold on to our old stand that the transfer of the salaries of employees of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque to banks amounts to committing the sin of usury, which is unlawful according to the teachings of the Holy Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him),” a legal representative said.
A decision in the case is expected on Nov. 7.
