The Religious Endowments Ministry on Friday finished the preparation of Friday sermons for the upcoming five years. According to a statement released by the ministry, it has chosen 54 topics for the upcoming year, and 270 topics for the remaining years.

The statement noted that the topics of the sermons will be decided by members of a committee established by the ministry with the participation of other highly-qualified professors specialised in religious science and psychology.

The sermon plans will be submitted to President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi once finalised, the statement said. The ministry added that the main subjects of the sermons will focus on morals, patriotism, countering terrorism and extremism, production, youth, women, and education.

Recently, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi delivered a speech commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. In his speech, the president agreed with Minister of Religious Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa who had previously said Egypt needs such a committee. Al-Sisi said that the committee should be composed of scholars of religion, psychology, and sociology.

“The issue of improving religious discourse should not be reduced to unified Friday sermons,” Al-Sisi said, expressing appreciation for the role played by the Al-Azhar institution in fighting extremist ideology.

The ministry’s imposition of unified Friday sermons raised controversy among preachers who claimed the practice undermines their intellectual capacities and skills.