The higher authorities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) have issued a directive to reduce the duration of the Friday sermon and prayer in the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
According to the directive, Friday sermons will be completed within 15 minutes. It also includes delaying the first call to prayer so that the time between it and the second call to prayer is 10 minutes.
The directive was implemented from Friday, June 21, and will continue until the end of the summer season, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
In turn, the Head of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, appreciated the issuance of the directive, stressing that it expresses the concern of the Saudi King and his Crown Prince for the health, comfort and safety of the guests of God.
He added that this adjustment aims to alleviate any discomfort caused by high temperatures and facilitate the rituals for the visitors to the two holy mosques.
Dr Al-Sudais praised the government’s commitment to ease rituals for pilgrims and visitors, highlighting the need for protection against weather conditions and the elderly.
Saudi Arabia is facing a growing impact from climate change, as it is one of the regions experiencing the world’s largest temperature increase.
The Haj 1445 AH-2024 season, which concluded on Wednesday, June 19, witnessed the death of at least 1,081 pilgrims from ten countries, the majority of deaths resulting from high temperatures, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
