Shaykh Sālim ‘Abd al-Jalīl, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Endowments, has told shaykhs to not pray for President Mubārak on Friday, saying that it is inappropriate to mix Du‘ā’ and politics together.
Various media have revealed that the Ministry of Endowments previously asked shaykhs and mosque leaders to pray for Mubārak on Friday because of the upcoming presidential elections.
"Sharī‘ah commands praying for the leader of the people, but it requires that one do so without orders from anyone," ‘Abd al-Jalīl explained.
Meanwhile, Endowments Minister Hamdǐ Zaqzūq plans to hold a meeting to discuss the ongoing peace negotiations between Palestinians and Israelis.
Dr. Muhammad al-Shahhāt, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, condemns Israeli plans to dig underneath the al-Aqsá mosque, saying that it willundermine the mosque's structural integrity, causing it to collapse.
