São Paulo – Mosques in Saudi Arabia will reopen for Friday prayers, as well as other prayers, starting on May 31 as the government loosens social distancing measures, the Arab News reported. Only Makkah, the holy city that attracts thousands of pilgrims, was not included.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs announced a series of rules for the mosques to reopen – windows and doors must always be open and copies of the Qur’an must be temporarily withdrawn. Worshippers must keep two meters apart and leave a row of space empty between each row.
People must also wear face masks, bring their own prayer mats and perform ablution at home. Imams, the religious leaders, must ensure worshippers avoid crowding when entering and exiting the mosques, and children under 15 are not allowed to enter. Educational programs should continue remotely online.
Larger mosques can open for 20 minutes before prayers and should close 20 minutes after they finish, and the sermon should not last more than 15 minutes. Smaller mosques, on the other hand, can open for 15 minutes before the call to prayer and should close 10 minutes after they finish. The measure is part of the country’s gradual reopening plan.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
