Imam faces the music for dance show

JEDDAH: The imam and muezzin of Omar Basabirin Mosque in Jeddah have been reprimanded after a video surfaced on the social media showing a number of people singing and dancing inside the mosque.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowment, Call and Guidance said they were summoned because some illegal practices were going on in the mosque.
Sheikh Ali Al-Hakami, member of the Council of Senior Scholars, denounced the incident, saying those responsible for organizing and participating in the celebration should be held accountable. He stressed that mosques are places of worship, not halls for dancing and singing.
What happened in the mosque is incompatible with the prestige and sanctity of such a spiritual place, he said.
Earlier, social media users circulated a video, showing a group of men and children dancing and singing.
A campaign was launched on Twitter to hold accountable those who organized it.
The imam and muezzin will be investigated by the legal consultative committee of the ministry.
Ali bin Salim Al-Abdali, director of the ministry’s branch in Makkah, emphasized that the ministry bans such celebrations that do not befit the exalted status of the house of God, adding that the penalty might be the dismissal of those responsible.