A local imam may be in hot water for deliberately lengthening prayers despite complaints from worshippers, according to a report in Al-Madina Arabic newspaper. Sheikh Bakur Bin Hamid Mir, Director General of the Makkah branch office of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawah (Call) and Guidance, has sent a letter to the director of Makkah endowments to enquire about the alleged altercation between the worshippers and the imam over the length of the prayers. There is only one mosque in their district. The worshippers claimed that the imam ?prolongs prayers intentionally and has rejected our requests to shorten the prayers over the past three years?. Sources expect the ministry will form a fact-finding committee to probe the matter and try to reconcile the two parties. Worshippers said that many residents have deserted the mosque in Ramadan and gone to mosques in neighboring districts. ?The imam even prolongs Dhuhr and Asr (noon and afternoon) prayers under the pretext that he wants to finish the recitation of the Holy Qur?an in Ramadan,? said one worshipper. Mir said the imam would be wrong if he was taking too long with the prayers. ?Many scholars have prohibited prolonging prayers in mosques when there are elderly and disabled people praying behind the imam. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, ordered us to be kind to worshippers when we lead prayers. Therefore, this imam should not prolong prayers and should follow the tradition of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.? He said worshippers have the right to file a complaint against any imam. The ministry would warn the imam if he was guilty of the charge. ?If the worshippers complain again about the same imam, he will be replaced with another one.? ?What this imam did is not in compliance with the Shariah and against the directives of the ministry. If prayer performers dislike an imam, then he should not lead the prayers because it is not advisable in Shariah to do so.? Dr. Abdul Elah Al-Arfaj said that ?The imam should take into consideration the condition of each worshipper praying behind him.? ? SG __
