Extremism in Jordan: Muzzling Mosques

The Economist

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When is a mosque not a mosque? In Jordan on a Friday, it turns out. To stop militant preachers ascending the minbar (pulpit), Jordan’s leaders have come up with a novel approach. Each week, ahead of the main day of prayer, they temporarily order the closure of unlicensed mosques—over a third of the 6,000-odd in the country. Other measures being phased in require preachers to recite only approved sermons sent to them by mobile phone, and insist that only registered and government-trained imams may preach. “The Friday sermon is potentially a dangerous media channel,” explains the kingdom’s religious-affairs minister, Wael Arabiyat…

Per head, says The Soufan Group, a New York-based consultancy, more people from Jordan have joined Islamic State’s fighters than from any other Arab state bar Tunisia…

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To read the full article please click on the link below:
http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21706521-jordans-novel-approach-islamist-militancy-muzzling-mosques