Cairo University shuts prayer places amid controversy

Cairo University, Egypt’s biggest public higher education institution, has closed prayer areas in a controversial anti-militancy move as the country struggles against Islamist violence. There were 250 prayer areas scattered across the campus and university hostels.

The prayer areas have been replaced with a new mosque able to accommodate more than 1,000 worshippers. But the step has drawn opposition from some students.

Since the military’s 2013 overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi, the Egyptian government has brought mosques across the mostly Muslim country under its control, depriving Islamists of important platforms to influence the public.

Morsi’s toppling sparked violent protests in Egypt’s universities, resulting in several student deaths and dozens of arrests. Authorities have also banned political activities in universities.

Some students unhappy

“This decision is a waste of public money,” said a student in Cairo University’s science school, who gave only his first name – Mohamed – citing security fears.

“There was no complaint about having prayer areas located in every part of the university, allowing students and staff to perform prayers at any time and conveniently,” he added.

“The only aim of removing these areas is to tighten the government’s grip on places of worship and further suppress students on unconvincing pretexts.”

A law student at Cairo University, who gave his name as Hussein, said that the closure of small prayer areas had caused inconvenience for Muslim worshippers on campus.

“Sometimes intervals between lectures are so short that we do not have enough time to go to the new mosque to pray,” he said. “Even if there were any cases of extremism, shutting down all prayer places should not have been adopted as the ideal solution.”

University defends closures

Cairo University authorities have defended the closure of prayer sites. President Gaber Nassar said: “There were 250 such places inside the university and its hostels. These places were manipulated to instil militant ideas into students’ minds. The university found out that some radical people used to deliver harmful sermons there. The situation was unacceptable.”

He added that the shutdown decision was based on a fatwa – a binding religious edict – from the country’s top Muslim authority, the Mufti, that banned offering prayers in the kinds of areas in which prayer sites were located.

“Some of these prayer spaces were set up inside administrative offices. They were removed, allowing the return of these places to operate again as administrative offices,” Nassar said.

“We have built a big mosque on the campus, which is open around the clock for students and employees to perform prayers. The new mosque is also equipped with bathrooms for physically challenged people.”

Last month, Nassar opened the new mosque during a high-profile ceremony attended by prominent Muslim officials including the Mufti.

The Ministry of Waqf – religious affairs – which is in charge of mosques in Egypt, has appointed employees to lead prayers and deliver sermons in the new mosque.

Nassar said that the university was planning to build a female-only mosque accommodating around 600 worshippers. It is expected to be completed in four months. “Thus, the university will have two big mosques: one for men and the second for women.”

In Islam, men and women are not allowed to mix in prayers.