Endowments Ministry suspends preacher for ‘promoting extremism’

Endowments Minister Mokhtar Gomaa suspended Sheikh Mohamed Jibreel and banned him from leading prayers in all mosques across the country ahead of Eid.

During prayers on Monday at Amr Ibn al-Aas Mosque in Old Cairo, Jibreel mentioned Egypt’s “oppressors,” among whom he said are politicians and media personnel, who he called “the pharaoh’s sorcerers,” an expression used previously by Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie.

The Ministry also filed a complaint against the notorious preacher, accusing him of supporting “extremism.”

In a televised phone conversation on Sada al-Balad satellite channel, Gomaa said the Ministry would notify the television authority not to screen the Sheikh's shows and would also request that all Arab Countries do not host the banned preacher, or allow him to work in their mosques.

The Minister said Jibreel is a chameleon and criticized him for “manipulating people's emotions.”

According to privately owned Youm7 newspaper, Jibreel was spotted at Cairo International Airport on Wednesday trying to leave the country, following the spat with the Ministry, which he has so far remained tight-lipped on.

Privately owned Al-Masry Al-Youm newspaper reported that Jibreel was stopped as he was attempting to travel to London, adding that he has a travel ban.

Sources close to the preacher say he often travels as part of his job. On his last visit to London, Jibreel reportedly spoke at Finsbury Park Mosque, which has been under harsh criticism from authorities in recent years for allegedly encouraging extremism.

Jibreel's ban comes amid the imposition of stricter laws by the Ministry, as it seeks to assert greater control over mosques and sermons through legislation, as well as imposing tighter censorship on religious books.

The ministry also banned Sheikh Ahmed Eissa al-Maasrawy and Preacher Ahmed Eissa from leading prayers and preaching in all Egyptian mosques.

Mohamed Abdel Razek, a leading official within the Ministry, stated on Wednesday that any religious figure attacking the military or police would be immediately suspended and would face investigation by the Ministry's Department for Legal Affairs.

The Ministry also suspended Mohamed Bahaa al-Nour, professor of the Hadith in the faculty of Islamic and Arabic studies at Al-Azhar, the country’s leading religious institution. Al-Azhar is currently investigating the religious scholar for charges of insulting public figures. 

In 2013, the Ministry revoked the licenses of 55,000 imams and banned Friday sermons in mosques smaller than 80 square metres.