Parliamentarian Question on the Security impediments for Itekaf at mosques

Member of the Member of the Muslim Brotherhood Parliamentary bloc, Sheikh Al-Sayed Askar, objected to the security services continued intervention in the affairs of the Ministry of Endowments and Al-Azhar, which aims at disrupting religious rituals inside mosques, including  "Itikaf" where the Muslims spend the last ten days of Ramadan in the mosque supplicating, praying, reading the Qur’an and meditating.

Askar referred to the continued meddling of the Interior Ministry in affairs that did not concern them, stating that the banning resolution issued by the ministry was "unlawful corruption." The ministry had issued orders also banning preachers from lecturing in mosques before receiving permission.

Moreover. Askar added that the Interior Ministry’s forcing of the Ministry of Endowment to tighten security on all who attended the "Itikaf" where they were required to produce any identification I was despicable. He condemned the threats that were posted, warning individuals who remained in mosques would be fined or imprisoned.

Askar warned of the repercussions as this as it "is a true example of violation of law here; freedom of religion is violated that prevents people from practicing their religion in mosques, citing the verse of the Quran:  ‘And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah’."

Askar stressed that the behaviour of the ministry in giving the right of seizure to its inspectors is an explicit religious and legal violation, because there is no law that prevents people from practicing their religion in mosques, citing the verse of the Quran:  "And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah."

Azhar scholars called for collective efforts to break the silence, calling on one and all  to work towards the glorifying of the status of the Azhar scholars and the Ministry of Endowments.