There are some concerns that in the government is interfering the affairs of mosques across the country, especially in light of Zaqzouq's warnings last month that the utilization of mosques for political activities, such as electoral campaigning and protests or demonstrations, would be forbidden.
Opponents of governmental intervention in mosque affairs have also claimed that the Ministry of Religious Endowments and the Ministry of Interior intend to install CCTV cameras in mosques to monitor worshippers, sermons, and donations. The Ministry of Endowments has adamantly refuted these claims. (ofcours they will refuse such claims).
Salafists and other conservative Islamist groups have also objected to regulations imposed on mosques and zawyas by the government to appoint preachers.
Other regulations include those issued in 2002 by the Ministry of Religious Endowments, which stipulate conditions for the registration of mosques andzawyas, dictating that mosques must have an area of no less than 100 square meters, while zawyas cannot be smaller than 50 square meters.
Religious officials also dismissed reports that the government has been planning to regulate Friday sermons and unify their themes.
“These are baseless claims. The Ministry has no such plans," Bakr explained, stressing that the contents of Friday sermons, traditionally very political, will remain the exclusive domain of local preachers.
"The call to prayer is supposed to be announced via an attractive voice so as to encourage the faithful to converge upon the mosque for prayer.”
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