Minister of Religious Endowments Mohamed al-Qousy has appealed to all presidential candidates not to violate the sanctity of mosques in their campaigning.
“Mosques are houses of God and edifices of worship that should not be involved in politics,” he said in a statement on Monday, adding that he gave strict instructions to preachers to remain impartial and prevent anyone from using their pulpits for propaganda, and warning against violating these instructions.
Earlier on Monday the liberal Free Egyptians Party has warned against what it described as the “dire consequences” of using mosques to campaign for presidential candidates.
The party said in a statement on its website that preachers in mosques have been blatantly calling on people to elect a candidate who would apply Islamic law.
The party held the Religious Endowments Ministry responsible for ensuring mosques’ commitments to earlier directives by the ministry, Al-Azhar and Dar al-Ifta that ban political manipulation in places of worship.
Egypt’s first presidential poll since the ouster of former President Hosni Mubarak is slated for 23 and 24 May.
The final list of 13 candidates includes three Islamists: Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Morsy, former Brotherhood leader Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh and Islamic thinker Mohamed Selim al-Awa.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
