An undisclosed number of religious preachers have been barred from issuing fatwas during this year's Haj due to the “extremist” nature of their rulings and “violations committed during last year's Haj.” The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, Tawfiq Al-Sudairi, said the ministry monitored the “performance of those working in the field of religious call and guidance and issuing edicts during the Haj seasons” through supervisors who produce opinion polls and reports. “The ministry has tightened supervision this year,” Al-Sudairi said,” and field inspections have led to a number of religious callers, although few in number, being removed due to serious violations.” The violations reportedly included “hard-line edicts that harm the Haj.” “The ministry seeks to make things easier for pilgrims during the Haj and prevent the issuing of hard-line edicts, to take into consideration differences in cultural, religious, geographical and jurisprudential backgrounds,” Al-Sudairi said. “The ministry also seeks religious callers with an extensive knowledge of jurisprudence and who take jurisprudential differences into consideration.” Al-Sudairi said that the ministry was also using in its programs toll-free telephone numbers and materials in eight languages to assist in the work of 1,200 guides, religious callers, muftis and other staff during this year's Haj season.
