The Saudi government has instructed all mosque imams across the Kingdom to dedicate their upcoming Friday sermon to the issue of greed and the potential dangers posed by the sharp increase in housing rents.
According to Saudi media reports, Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Abdul Latif Al Al-Sheikh directed mosque preachers to highlight the guidelines of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which emphasize maintaining stability and balance in the real estate sector.
The minister urged imams to remind property and apartment owners that imposing excessive rent increases places an undue financial burden on tenants. He emphasized that such actions affect entire families and are contrary to Islamic teachings, which strictly prohibit causing hardship to fellow Muslims.
Saudi authorities aim to ensure that both citizens and expatriates in the Kingdom do not face difficulties or psychological distress in securing suitable housing.
It is noteworthy that the Saudi government has already frozen rent hikes on residential and commercial properties in the capital city, Riyadh, for a period of five years to help stabilize the housing market.