The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawa, Endowment and Guidance said it has rehabilitated 29 mosques affected by the floods last month, mostly in east Jeddah. Some other flood-affected mosques will be demolished and rebuilt, said Minister Sheikh Saleh Aal Al-Sheikh. Meanwhile, several Khateebs have been relieved of their duties for deviating from the correct path, he said, but declined to provide the number of fired imams. The minister was speaking during the Prince Naif Prize for the Prophet's Sunnah and Islamic Studies Award Ceremony in Riyadh on Wednesday night. However, the ministry has accepted the repentance of many imams, but has warned them that repeat violations would see them dismissed permanently. He said that this year the ministry would try to correct the vision of some preachers, about positions they had taken on issues which had nothing to do with the principles of the Islamic Shariah. There is a consultative committee on Islamic Shariah in the ministry, which meets with every imam to assess and advise him, Aal Al-Sheikh said. The minister stressed that the ministry questions every imam who does not attend the Friday prayer, asking him to explain why he was absent. The ministry is in the process of organizing a package of training programs and courses to improve and upgrade the standards of imams, propagators, and guides who deliver Islamic lectures, including those on the payroll of the ministry and freelancers. He added that a committee evaluates their performance every six months, to help them to overcome any shortcomings or weaknesses. Al-Sheikh called on preachers to cope with developments taking place in society and to make good use of modern technology. This is important when addressing the youth, because persuasion techniques have changed considerably, he said.
