Campaign to dispose of books feeding extremism, says Ministry of Endowments

Cairo – The Egyptian Ministry of Endowments has launched a campaign to remove books carrying extremist thoughts from mosques nationwide, a well-placed official at the ministry said.

Speaking to Al-Bawaba News on Thursday, Chairman of the Endowments Ministry’s Religious Sector Sheikh Gaber Tayea said a work team was formed to carry out this mission in a bid to maintain Egypt's security.

Islam is a moderate religion and has nothing to do with terrorist groups, he noted.

The mosques shouldn’t be used by extremist groups for any political purpose, Tayea added.

The ministry’s efforts to tighten its grip on the country’s mosques started in 2013, when it decided to shut down all places of worship of less than 80 square meters, also known as zawiyas (prayer corners). 

The government argued that such a decision was aimed to prevent extremists from spreading their thoughts among worshipers.