Which would give Christians and secularists yet another reason to oppose him.
Dozens of protesters against President Mohamed Morsy rallied outside the Al-Hamd Mosque, located in an affluent suburb just outside of Cairo, after Friday prayers. Rival protesters in support of Morsy also gathered there, chanting slogans for the president.
The mosque’s imam, Sheikh Abdel Rahma Yaqoub, said that assigning the president titles like “Highness and Excellency” does not contradict Islam. The Prophet Mohamed said people should be addressed according to their favored titles, and international organizations approve such titles, he added.
In a previous sermon, some worshippers had objected to referring to Morsy as “his Excellency,” saying it was not religious.
Praying for the president is a desirable and mandatory action, Yaqoub added.
During the Friday sermon the sheikh prayed for Morsy, saying the Prophet Mohamed had ordered the faithful to do so. He called on his fellow sheikhs to encourage people to participate in the constitutional referendum, the second phase of which is scheduled for Saturday