The Ministry of Endowment (Awqaf) and Islamic Affairs announced on yesterday a number of precautionary and preventive measures to ensure the safety of prayer attendees of mosques.
The ministry said in a statement, in light of the official efforts to curb an outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), it has issued a circular to all mosques, about taking extra measures regarding the hygiene of the mosques that suits with the nature of the disease.
It will be through stressing on the hygiene inside mosques, and removing all what could contribute in transmitting the infection, such as cups in refrigerators, soap bars and wastebaskets, the statement added.
The statement said that mosques will be ventilated daily by opening the ventilation windows before and after each prayer.
Furthermore, the Ministry stressed on some of the measures related to the prayer, as it is decided to decrease the waiting time between the call to prayer and its performing to five minutes for all prayer times, in addition to closing mosques afterwards each prayer within 15 minutes but to open with each prayer’s call.
On pursuant to the Islamic norm of (prevention of deterioration is preceded on attracting interests), the circular included a guidance to prayer attendees who show symptoms of cold or flu to quit going to mosques during their illness period, the statement added.
The Ministry advised worshipers to make sure to do their Wudu at home and not to gather with other worshippers for talks after the prayer in the mosque. The Ministry also advised all citizens and residents to comply with the health guidance issued by the competent authorities and cooperate with them.
