JEDDAH: An imam in Jeddah’s Morjan district, who used donations from the public to build himself rooms on top of the mosque where he works, has failed to remove the structure as ordered by the government.

The local municipality, which had been assigned the task to oversee the removal, had also not done so, according to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance.

Talal Al-Aqeel, adviser to the minister and director general of the department of awqaf in Jeddah, said the ministry had responded to the complaints from residents.

“We notified the governorate and the ministry but no measures were taken to address this issue. The municipality has to remove such infringements,” he said.

Several residents in the area said the imam had initially asked them for money to expand and improve the mosque. They were surprised to find that the donations have been used to build rooms. They said they were not sure if it was for his own use or to rent out.

In addition, they said he was violating the sanctity of the mosque because he was building toilets on the roof.