Alexandria Endowments Ministry Undersecretary Mohammad Noor on Wednesday ordered to close down 650 small mosques in different neighborhoods for violating government regulations.
He added that the ministry reported to the police 60 unlicensed imams preaching without permission.
He also instructed the inspectors of the ministry who have judicial arrest powers to conduct a field survey of all the mosques that are under the supervision of the ministry and check the sermons given there.
Noor is heading a central operations room to receive any complaints in this regard.
Earlier this month, then-president Adly Mansour issued a decree on speeches and religious lessons in mosques and public squares, forbidding preachers who are not authorized by Al-Azhar or the Endowments Ministry to give sermons or speeches.
The decree obliges authorized preachers to wear the Al-Azhar uniform, and grants Endowments Ministry personnel judicial arrest powers against unauthorized preachers.
It stipulates imprisonment for not less than three months and not more than one year, and a fine of not less than LE20,000 and not more than LE50,000, or either penalty, for those violating.
The penalty is doubled in case the violation is repeated.
It also stipulates imprisonment for not less than one months and not more than one year, and a fine of not less than LE10,000 and not more than LE30,000, or either penalty, for unauthorized preachers wearing the Al-Azhar uniform or demeaning it in any way.
The decree is an attempt by the government to reign in extremist ideologies, coinciding with the struggle against terrorism as well as the crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood and other government dissent.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
