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Egypt's Islamic scholars reject government-issued Friday sermons Egypt's Islamic scholars reject government-issued Friday sermons
(30 days later)
In a rebuke to the Egyptian government, the country’s top religious scholars have rejected new government measures to standardise Friday sermons, saying such a step would “freeze” the development of religious discourse.In a rebuke to the Egyptian government, the country’s top religious scholars have rejected new government measures to standardise Friday sermons, saying such a step would “freeze” the development of religious discourse.
The Council of Senior Scholars of Al-Azhar, the Muslim world’s most prominent institution, said in a statement on Wednesday that giving clerics pre-written Friday sermons would eventually “superficialise” religious clerics’ thinking.The Council of Senior Scholars of Al-Azhar, the Muslim world’s most prominent institution, said in a statement on Wednesday that giving clerics pre-written Friday sermons would eventually “superficialise” religious clerics’ thinking.
The statement adds: “The imam will find himself unable to discuss, debate, and respond to [extremist] ideas and warn people of them.”The statement adds: “The imam will find himself unable to discuss, debate, and respond to [extremist] ideas and warn people of them.”
The standardised sermon initiative was launched by Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments – the government body regulating mosques and houses of worship – and has been criticised as the latest government move to tighten state control over religious discourse.The standardised sermon initiative was launched by Egypt’s Ministry of Religious Endowments – the government body regulating mosques and houses of worship – and has been criticised as the latest government move to tighten state control over religious discourse.
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Earlier this month, Mokhtar Gomaa, the minister of religious endowments, gave the first-such scripted sermon from a batch of notecards in an attempt to present a model to the country’s clerics. He defended the move as aimed at filtering out extremism and promoting religious reform.Earlier this month, Mokhtar Gomaa, the minister of religious endowments, gave the first-such scripted sermon from a batch of notecards in an attempt to present a model to the country’s clerics. He defended the move as aimed at filtering out extremism and promoting religious reform.
According to the plan, a committee of state-hired scholars would write each week’s sermon for clerics to read word-for-word. Gomaa said the government would prepare 54 sermons covering 52 weeks in addition to religious holidays, and that there was a long-term plan to write 270 sermons covering five years.According to the plan, a committee of state-hired scholars would write each week’s sermon for clerics to read word-for-word. Gomaa said the government would prepare 54 sermons covering 52 weeks in addition to religious holidays, and that there was a long-term plan to write 270 sermons covering five years.
A ministerial committee that inspects and monitors the mosques would report on the performance of clerics around the country.A ministerial committee that inspects and monitors the mosques would report on the performance of clerics around the country.
In response to Al-Azhar’s rejection, ministry spokesman Gaber Tayaa said the ministry would go ahead with “generalising” the written sermons and would continue to hold meetings to explain the mechanism of implementation, “without forcing them”.In response to Al-Azhar’s rejection, ministry spokesman Gaber Tayaa said the ministry would go ahead with “generalising” the written sermons and would continue to hold meetings to explain the mechanism of implementation, “without forcing them”.
He added that the written sermons were aimed at ending the “chaos” of the current religious discourse.He added that the written sermons were aimed at ending the “chaos” of the current religious discourse.