The Directorate General of Prisons, in coordination with the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da’wah, and Guidance has increased the appointment of imams for civilian prisons in view of the rise in the number of mosques and prayer areas in various prisons.

A report issued by Directorate General of Prisons revealed a shortage of muezzins whose number stands at 65 as against 72 imams.

The ministry supported imams in prison mosques and prayer areas by appointing 131 to teach religious awareness programs. The number of mosques in Saudi prisons stands at 103 with an additional 439 prayer areas, an Arabic newspaper said.

Lauding the move, Sheikh Yusuf Ali, imam of a mosque in Dammam, said increasing the number of imams for prisons will also increase awareness among inmates.

“The presence of the imams in prisons helps to remove extremist ideologies among the inmates. This important role can only be carried out by someone who as thoroughly studied religious texts,” he said.

According to Article 17 of the prison and detention system, inmates are guaranteed their Islamic and worshiping rights in jail. The role of preachers and imams is to teach religious texts through lectures and sermons that take into account inmates’ cultural and ethnic backgrounds as well as their beliefs and awareness levels.

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