Saudi Gazette report RIYADH – The Ministry of Islamic Affairs will start an investigation into skirmishes that broke out between worshipers following a highly politicized Friday sermon at a mosque in Riyadh. Hamad Al-Hoqail, the imam who delivered the controversial sermon at Al-Firdous Mosque in Al-Nahda neighborhood of eastern Riyadh, was temporarily banned from delivering the Friday sermon, according to a report in Al-Hayat Arabic daily.
The imam's prayer against Egypt's Defense Minister and Army Chief Gen. Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad infuriated several Egyptian expatriates who came to offer Friday prayers. Initially, an Egyptian expatriate clashed with a Saudi man, which in turn resulted in two groups of faithful being involved in a scuffle. Eventually, several Egyptian worshipers boycotted the sermon. When the call for prayer was made, the situation quickly returned to normal and all worshipers joined the prayer, the newspaper reported.
Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Alsheikh, assistant undersecretary for mosque affairs at the ministry, said the ministry has decided to investigate whether the imam was really responsible for the skirmish. “The ministry will start investigation into the incident on Sunday. We will not allow anybody to politicize Friday sermons or misuse them to settle political scores,” he said. Al-Alsheikh said the ministry is keen to ensure that mosque pulpits are only used for fulfilling the religious mission of promoting virtue and guiding people onto the right path. “Pulpits should not be misused for pushing political agenda. The ministry will investigate the matter and determine whether the sermon was really responsible for the skirmishes between worshipers,” he said. “Mosque imams and preachers have been instructed not to include any political or sectarian issues in their sermons. Repeat offenders of the regulations will have their services terminated,” he added According to Al-Alsheikh, the matter will be referred to the specialized Shariah committee under the ministry. “The imam will be barred from offering Friday sermons until the conclusion of the investigation. He will be allowed to resume giving sermons if it is found that he did not violate the ministry's rules,” Al-Alsheikh said. He emphasized that using mosque pulpits to settle political scores would be tantamount to sedition.
