A Muslim prayer leader charged with touching the breasts of two teenagers and a grandmother on the northern beaches believes he is the victim of a misunderstanding.

Ahmed Alkahly, a 59-year-old Egyptian national who is a well-known qari, or prayer reciter, in his homeland, is visiting Sydney to lead evening prayers at the Dee Why Masjid (mosque) for the month of Ramadan.

The Dee Why Mosque: Plea to stop abusive emails over incident.

Police will allege that, in two separate incidents on Wednesday afternoon, he approached a 16-year-old girl and a 57-year-old grandmother, who was pushing her grandson in a pram, and indecently assaulted them by touching their breasts along Dee Why Beach.

Both victims called the police. Mr Alkahly was found nearby minutes later and arrested.