Mosque moonlighting: Why Egypt has so many freelance imams
Ali Taha moves between multiple worlds. (*)
During the day, he coaches swimming at a pool club. By night, he works as a freelance mosque imam, leading worshippers in the sunset, evening and pre-dawn prayers.
With the imam’s seat vacant in his village's mosque in Sharqiya Governorate, Taha was chosen for his melodious voice. The mosque’s management committee chose him to lead the prayers in exchange for a stipend, determined and paid from donations offered by capable worshippers.
The 26-year-old earns 2,000 pounds monthly (around $40) for leading the prayers at the end of each day, which he considers “a winning deal by the standards of both religion and worldly life.”
His melodious voice and correct recitations was quickly noticed by worshippers. They no longer complained about the random voices who took turns to lead prayers.
Taha graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education in 2021 and never imagined he would combine maqam, a system of traditional Arabic melodies, with tajweed, the precise rules governing Quranic recitation. Yet, he now actively balances these two different worlds by leading prayers, singing at events with friends, and making TikTok videos.
Taha’s journey to leading prayers tracks back to his university years, where his talent emerged during a choir competition. His exceptional singing and command of recitation soon earned him an offer to lead prayers at a mosque in Nasr City, east of Cairo.
He initially declined the role, despite the attractive compensation. “They offered me 5,000 pounds to lead the prayers during Ramadan,” he recounted, “but I felt a contradiction within myself, so I refused.”
Now, he says, that inner conflict has dissolved.
Imam freelancer groups
Taha is part of a growing number of freelance imams. Facebook groups now list mosques in need of imams, connecting individuals with a good voice and strong Quranic recitation skills to available positions. “My choir friends work through them — during the day, they rehearse for folk music bands, and during sunset, evening, and pre-dawn prayers, they lead. The compensation helps them survive in Cairo until they make it as musicians,” he explained.
One recent evening in the Giza Governorate, as the evening prayer approached, worshippers began gathering at the mosque. Ahmed Abdullah, 26, prepared, donning his white galabeya in an inner room.
He stood before the mirror, placed the cap on his head, then walked out to the congregation, moving through the rows up to the prayer niche in the wall of a mosque, raising his hands to begin the prayer with his harmonious voice, now his source of income.
Abdullah is not an imam certified by the Ministry of Awqaf/Religious Endowments. Instead, he is one of hundreds of preachers who, amidst a shortage of official imams, found an opportunity to prove themselves and fill the void.
“A job like any other, but I’m getting good deeds and pleasing God — and it’s an easy one,” said Abdullah, describing his role as a freelance imam.
Despite graduating with a “very good” grade from Al-Azhar University’s Faculty of Islamic Dawa (mission) in 2021, he struggled to find official employment in his field. He was even rejected in the Ministry of Awqafs’ 2022 “1000 Imams” competition for being overweight, despite passing all other exams.
Imposing control
In 2014, the former minister of awqaf, Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa, adopted policies to impose greater control over mosques. These included bringing all mosques under the authority of the ministry, prohibiting any sheikh from delivering sermons without official authorization, and standardizing the Friday sermon.
According to a 2014 study by the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights/EIPR, these policies assume that all Muslims fall under a single religious authority supervised by the State, that the State acts as the imam and representative of the Muslim community, and that the Ministry of Awqaf must have exclusive control over religious leadership and preaching. Consequently, religious activities inside mosques are not permitted without official authorization.
This policy, however, clashes with a severe shortage of imams. The most recent available data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics in 2019 revealed a growing gap. Only 46,952 official imams were available for 105,841 mosques and prayer rooms, resulting in a mere 44% coverage rate.
https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/24357491/Over the years, the number of mosques increased, while the number of imams declined. Coverage dropped to 41% in 2020, then further down to 37% in 2021, which meant that more than 62% of mosques in Egypt lacked an official imam.
Data from the Ministry of Awqaf reveals a significant shift in Egypt’s mosque structure between 2017 and 2021, showing a notable increase in privately run mosques alongside a decline in government-managed ones.
https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/24357568/During this period, government mosques saw a slight decrease from over 80,000 to just under 79,500. Conversely, private mosques surged by over 12,000, growing from roughly 21,700 to more than 34,300. This transformation is attributed to the closure of many government mosques due to restructuring, renovation needs, or a lack of funding.
With the growing shortage of imams, a parallel market for freelance imams has emerged. Abdullah used to earn 9,000 pounds (around $177) per month from the administration of a mosque in a high-end residential compound in 6 October City, along with free accommodation. When he received a better offer, he moved to a mosque in the Fifth Settlement, where he was paid 15,000 pounds ($295) during Ramadan.
An imam with ideal weight!
Over the course of three years, Abdullah applied three times to the Ministry of Awqaf’s competition to appoint 3,000 imams, at a rate of 1,000 per year.
Applicants must pass a 120-question test led by the Central Agency for Organization and Administration. One-third of the questions relate to Islamic studies—his major at Al-Azhar—while the remaining two-thirds cover translation, philosophy, psychology, computer skills, and general knowledge. After passing, candidates undergo an oral and written exam on religious subjects at Al-Nour Mosque in Abbassiya.
Those who pass must undergo medical and fitness tests during a six-month training camp at the Military Academy. This camp, similar to mandatory military education in universities, includes physical fitness tests, lectures on national security concepts, fourth-generation warfare and military discipline — followed by a security background check and character assessment.
Despite having memorized the Quran in multiple recitations, Abdullah's excess weight disqualified him during the medical examination. Eligibility requirements stipulate that a candidate’s weight must not exceed their ideal weight (calculated as height minus 100) by more than 25 kilograms.
Osama Raslan, spokesperson for the Ministry of Awqaf, told Al Manassa that the ministry’s hiring process adheres to the same standards applied across other state institutions. He explained that newly appointed imams must undergo a security clearance, a physical appearance assessment, and a comprehensive medical exam to ensure they meet the job requirements.
Raslan added that applicants benefit from lessons delivered by prominent figures including the Minister of Awqaf, Al-Azhar’s deputy, the university’s president, and a group of senior Al-Azhar scholars.
“They follow a specialized curriculum taught by top religious authorities to ensure that the imam is adequately prepared, both religiously and culturally, for the role expected of him in the mosque,” he stated.
Different reasons for rejection
Abdullah is not the only one who didn’t make it.
In 2022, over 20,000 applicants vied for imam positions, yet only 724 were accepted, falling short of the targeted 1,000 appointments. This significant discrepancy prompted several members of parliament to submit official inquiries to the minister of awqaf.
In response to parliamentary briefing requests, a committee was formed to examine the crisis. This body comprised members of the House of Representatives’ Religious and Endowments Affairs Committee and was headed by Dr. Ali Gomaa.
At the time, Minister of Awqaf Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa defended his ministry’s position, stating, “Those who passed the Central Agency for Organization and Administration’s examinations and cleared the medical tests have already been appointed.”
“Those who passed the agency’s exams but were not appointed are the ones who failed the medical examination,” he added.
However, medical rejection isn’t the only reason for disqualification.
One such case involved applicant Osama El-Sayed, who was rejected during the security screening because a distant relative of his was in pretrial detention in a political case.
El-Sayed, a graduate of Al-Azhar’s Faculty of Islamic Studies in 2020, passed all exams and completed the six-month military academy course. “The medical check comes first, followed by fitness tests,” he said.
“The fitness tests include a 1500-meter race to be completed under 5 minutes, a 100-meter sprint in 15 seconds, and over 50 sit-ups and push-ups. Then comes the character assessment, which includes weighing and checking your full application file,” El-Sayed explained to Al Manassa.
Although the young man—known for his eloquent recitation—had cleared all stages of testing and selection, his dream of securing a government position ended at the final hurdle, the security clearance.
The voice market
Al Manassa spoke with ten mosque-goers who revealed split opinions over the growing phenomenon of freelance imams. Some view them as a necessary alternative in the absence of state-appointed clerics, contending it’s better to pray behind someone with a pleasant voice than a local layperson who struggles with proper recitation.
Others, however, fear mosques may become an open marketplace where the job goes solely to the best voice, regardless of religious qualifications.
The Ministry of Awqaf appoints a management committee for each mosque, drawn from nearby residents. Hamdi Abdelnaby, head of one such committee at a mosque in Sharqiya, explained that worshippers voluntarily collect money for a skilled imam with a good voice.
“People love praying behind someone who sounds beautiful and prays with reverence,” he said, adding, “They raise money for that. But recently, imams have started asking for more than they used to.”
The stipend an imam receives varies depending on their experience, vocal quality, and the mosque’s location. Khaled Hussein, who leads prayers at a mosque in Cairo’s Abbasiya district during Ramadan, exemplifies this, earning 15,000 pounds (about $295) for the month. He is also provided with a private room in the mosque, allowing him to lead all rituals from the call to prayer to the congregation.
Hussein began working as an imam in 2016, during his freshman year at Al-Azhar University’s Faculty of Islamic Studies. He secured his first post in Cairo’s Nasr City, serving for two years and earning 3,000 pounds monthly. A subsequent move took him to a mosque in Zahraa Nasr City, where his compensation notably doubled.
Upon graduation, a university professor facilitated his placement in Abbasiya, where he remains today, he recounted to Al Manassa.
Official pathways
For a state-appointed imam position with the Ministry of Awqaf, candidates must hold a degree from Al-Azhar in a range of specialized fields, including Islamic studies, theology, sharia and law, media, or Islamic preaching. Annually, this pool of eligible graduates exceeds 30,000 individuals, according to a November 2023 report on higher education.
Despite acknowledging a shortage of imams, the ministry spokesperson told Al Manassa that the presence of freelance imams is not a new phenomenon. He explained that the ministry reviews requests from residents, MPs, and officials for imam appointments based on available resources, and when qualified staff are available, imams may be seconded to fill vacancies.
Spokesperson Raslan added that the ministry imposes strict oversight through inspection and governance departments in each governorate. However, this supervision applies only to certified preachers and lecturers, not to those who merely lead prayers.
“The administration intervenes immediately when complaints are filed,” Raslan said, “to ensure that religious discourse aligns with Al-Azhar’s moderate principles.”
The irony of the system is starkly illustrated by Ahmed Abdallah. He was rejected in the Awqaf employment exams for three consecutive years due to being overweight. Determined, he followed a strict diet and lost over 50 kilograms. Confident this time, he reapplied—only to be disqualified again, this time for anemia caused by the weight loss.
(*)Pseudonym at the source’s request.
(**)A version of this article first appeared in Arabic on April 30, 2025.