[Arab News] The Madinah branch of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa and Guidance has suspended 38 imams and muezzins for sub-standard performance. They were accused of slackness and failure to do their duties properly.Ministry sources told Arab News that investigations and reports from supervisors revealed the imams and muezzins did not do their jobs properly and others were appointed to do the work in their place. The sources said their salaries were also suspended.
According to the sources, there are 1,930 mosques in Madinah region, of which 505 hold Friday prayers.
The ministry's Madinah branch also supervises 949 private mosques, of which 19 hold Friday prayers. It employs 1,417 imams, 1,354 muezzins and 625 workers who serve the mosques and clean them up.
The branch also supervises historic mosques in Madinah, including the Quba, Dhul Hulaifa, Al-Qiblatain, Al-Jumaa, Al-Anbariya, Al-Ghamamah, Al-Rayah, Abu Bakr, Omar bin Al-Khattab, Ali bin Abi Talib, Abu Dhar, Al-Ijabah, Al-Suqyyah, Bani Haram and Bani Quraizah mosques.
It also has a welfare society that collects donations for the construction and maintenance of mosques in various parts of the region.