Mosques in UAE to resume Friday prayers from December 4

Mosques across the UAE will reopen for Friday prayers starting from December 4, the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) confirmed on Tuesday, November 24.

In a tweet, the NCEMA said that the Fatwa Council of the UAE has issued a fatwa which includes an obligation for everyone to fully adhere to the health and safety instructions issued by the authorities to prevent the transmission of the Covid-19 virus. It was not permissible to violate this in any manner.

The number of worshippers permitted to attend will be reduced by 30 per cent of the capacity, with prayers allowed in the outer courtyards and broadcast over loudspeakers.

“Mosques will reopen for Friday prayers starting from 4 December”

Updates from the #UAE Government media briefing today #CommitToWin#نلتزم_لننتصر pic.twitter.com/ALTyyqs1Ht

— NCEMA UAE (@NCEMAUAE) November 24, 2020

Worshippers must maintain a two-metre distance from each other, and entry and exit must be regulated and managed by mosque workers and volunteers.

For the Friday prayers, mosques will open 30 minutes before the prayer starts, and close their doors 30 minutes after they have ended.

Also, the duration of the Friday prayer speech will not exceed 10 minutes; all those attending must wear a face mask as well as bring their own prayer rug, which must not be left in the mosque or shared with anyone else.

Those attending must also read from their own Qur’an or smart device, and download the UAE approved health apps and activate it in case they are attending the prayers at the mosque.

The fatwa adds that children, senior citizens and those with chronic and respiratory diseases, or those suffering from a weak immunity, must perform their prayers at home.

Ablution must be performed at home, and the mosques will continue to keep all ablution spots, toilets and women’s prayer halls closed.

There will be a change in the time of daily prayers by 15 minutes before the call for prayers, and 10 minutes after prayers, except for Maghrib prayers, which will be called five minutes before the call for prayers. There will be a ban on distributing food and water.

The NCEMA added that mosques and churches in industrial areas will continue remain closed.