The Ministry of Endowments cancelled on Friday permits of Salafist cleric Mohamed Said Raslan and banned him from preaching in all mosques or from giving religious lessons.
The ministry added that Raslan has violated orders regarding the unified Friday sermon. Since 2015, the ministry has been issuing a weekly written text for preachers and clerics to follow and read in the weekly Friday sermon.
The ministry also assigned new clerics to the Monufia-based mosque in Ashmoun, where Raslan is used to preach.
However, Raslan did not protest the decision and called upon his followers not to disagree with the official’s decree.
Raslan is known for his strong anti-Muslim Brotherhood stance and pro-government stance. Although he is vocal against democracy and political parties, he refuses going against the state or calls to protest or dissent against state rulers.
In May 2017, a similar incident took place where the ministry announced that former deputy minister in the Endowments Ministry Salem Abdel Galil and Imam of Al-Sayeda Nafisa Mosque Abdullah Roushdy would not be allowed to lead Friday ceremonies or prayers and classes, accusing them of saying remarks that harms the national interest and contradicting what the ministry calls for, such as citizenship and freedom of religion and choice.
Since September 2013, the ministry has launched a number of guidelines that aim to limit “radical preaching” in mosques and to crackdown on Muslim Brotherhood rhetoric, which often relied on public mobilisation through sermons delivered at mosques during Friday prayers.
