Riyadh: The authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have issued an order banning iftar in mosques during the upcoming holy month of Ramzan 1445 AH-2024.
The announcement is part of a set of instructions and directives issued by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance (MoiaEN) for mosque employees to follow during the month of Ramzan.
Instructions and directives for mosques during Ramzan
- The ministry has prohibited imams and muezzins in various regions from collecting financial donations for organizing Iftar feasts for fasting individuals.
- Iftar should be held in designated courtyards instead of inside mosques during Ramzan to ensure cleanliness.
- Employees of the mosques, including imams and muezzins, need to be regular in their work and not to be absent during Ramzan.
- It also stressed not to use the cameras in the mosques to photograph the imam and the worshipers during the performance of the prayers, as well as not to transfer the prayers or broadcast them on social media.
- The ministry has announced directives for muezzins to follow the Saudi calendar Umm Al Qura prayer timings and to maintain a 10-minute gap between adhan and prayer performance, except for evening and dawn prayers.
- Imams are advised to avoid prolonging Taraweeh, voluntary nightly prayers during Ramadan, and deliver informative sermons, particularly focusing on fasting rules and Ramzan merits.
- The directives also emphasize the prohibition of begging in mosques, education on its social, economic, and security harms, and the importance of charitable causes.
According to astronomical calculations, Ramzan in Saudi Arabia is expected to begin on March 11. The exact date of the start of Ramzan will be confirmed closer to the date, based on the moon-sighting tradition.
What is Ramzan?
In Islam, Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, also known as the Hijri calendar— a lunar calendar consisting of twelve months beginning with Muharram, and ending with Zul-Hijjah.
Ramzan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar and is believed to be the month during which the Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and abstain from food and drink during this period.
