Makkah: Five daily obligatory prayers, taraweeh special prayers, iftar meal and Itikaf (the ritual of staying in a mosque solely for the purpose of worship and meditation) have been suspended at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque In Madinah during the upcoming month of Ramadan.
Coronavirus precautionary measure
This was announced by the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques on its Twitter account on Monday. The move is taken as part of precautionary measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Only presidency officials & sterilization workers will pray at Holy mosques during the blessed month
Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, head of the presidency, also confirmed the move taken by the authorities to safeguard the health of worshipers and visitors. He informed that the five daily prayers and taraweeh prayers at the Two Holy Mosques will be performed only by the presidency officials and sterilization workers during the blessed month.
Taraweeh prayers will be shortened to 10 rakats
Saudi Gazette reported that Sheikh Al-Sudais said that Taraweeh prayers will be shortened to 10 rakats. He added that the qunut prayer will be brief and focused on praying to God to end the epidemic.
Qunut prayer will be brief and focused on praying to God to end the epidemic
More than 100,000 worshipers used to perform itikaf in the Two Holy Mosques in the last 10 days of Ramadan.
All congregational prayers inside mosques were suspended last month across the Kingdom as part of efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus. During this time, the only prayers permitted to continue outside the home have been at the Two Holy Mosques.