Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance has terminated the services of more than 100 mosque imams and preachers in the Makkah region for their negligence of the ministry’s directives to warn against the dangers of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Friday sermon. A number of preachers in the Qassim region were also sacked, according to a report in Al-Watan newspaper.

The General Department of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance in the Makkah region requested the ministry to terminate the service of more than 100 preachers after a two-week process of the headcount of preachers who had ignored the ministry’s directive through a circular from Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Abdullatif Al-Sheikh.

The ministry had issued directives to preachers in all mosques across the Kingdom to warn against the dangers posed by the Brotherhood in their Friday sermon on Nov. 13 (Rabi Al-Awwal 27).

They were also instructed to read out the major points of the statement issued by the Council of Senior Scholars banning the Brotherhood after labeling it as a terrorist outfit.

The Council of Senior Scholars said in its statement that the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist outfit that does not represent the Islamic way of life. The council warned against the Muslim Brotherhood, saying that it is a deviant group that calls for rebellion against the rulers.

“The Brotherhood pursues its partisan goals that contradict the guidance of our true religion, and it is causing discord and inciting sedition, violence, and terrorism that are contrary to the teachings of Islam,” the council said in a statement quoting verses from the Holy Qur’an and Tradition of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Accordingly, mosque preachers across Saudi Arabia were united on Nov. 13 in their sermons in warning the faithful against the dangers posed by the banned outfit. The clerics devoted their pre-prayer sermons to emphasize the crucial importance of unity and avoiding discord, warning against groups operating under the cloak of religion for mundane agendas, mainly the Brotherhood.

The source said that the ministry won’t show any leniency in the case of those who violated its directives that are issued out of its keenness to follow the approach of the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), which are the constitution of the country.

“The policy of the nation is clear toward the Brotherhood and all other outfits that are hiding in the cloak of religion to attain their political and worldly goals,” the source added.