The Minister of Islamic Affairs has barred individuals from opening bank accounts in their own names on behalf of charities. Sheikh Saleh Bin Abdul Aziz Aal Al-Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, and chairman of the Supreme Council for Qur'an Memorization Charitable Societies, announced the move at a contract signing in Riyadh Monday for auditors to look at the accounts of Qur'an memorization charities, and added that accounts may only be opened in charities' names with a limited number of signatories. “The ministry must be provided with account statements ahead of auditing,” Aal Al-Sheikh said, noting that an external auditor is responsible for all charities in the Kingdom who provides the ministry with expenditure data. The auditors contracted Monday will audit the accounts of Qur'an memorization charities around the Kingdom for the financial year ending on Dec. 17 of this year.
