By Staff Reporter
Want to start your own private Quran classes? With tightened laws by authority in UAE around such organisations, many who may want to impart religious knowledge to others and are qualified to do so, may not know the process due to the stringent laws in place. These rulings ensure regulation of religious texts, teachings and practices taking place across the country.
Back in 2017, the Federal National Council passed a law that banned the practice of holding religious classes or Quran memorisation gatherings without any approval and licensing.
A year later, another law banned the practice of conduction religious lectures, Quran memorisation classes and other activities like collecting Zakat and distribution of books, leaflets etc. in mosques across the country without any license.
Apart from government centres for Quran memorisation, the UAE has permitted the opening of private centres too, by setting in place certain guidelines and procedures that must be followed.
What does the law prohibit?
As per the UAE’s Federal Law No. (1) of 2018 Regarding Holy Quran Memorisation Private Centres, certain actions are deemed illegal if carried out within the premise of the private centre.
Individuals who may violate these laws will first receive a notification. After this, they will get a warning from the competent authority. If the individual does not follow the law despite the warning, their license will be suspended for a period of up to two months. If even after this, the individual does not comply with the law, then his/her’s license will be revoked and cancelled. Depending on the severity of the case, the authority in charge might apply any one penalty or all in the above-mentioned order.
In the case the act is committed on an administrative level, after a warning, the center’s license will be cancelled without any temporary suspension. Depending on the severity of the case, the competent authority might also have someone else temporarily manage the center and/or close it permanently.
There is a hefty penalty of jail time for two months or more and a whopping fine of up to Dh50,000 for those who conduct Quran classes and religious lectures without obtaining any license from the competent authority.
