COVID-19 : Over 90,000 Saudi Arabian mosques to reopen Sunday

The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance and its staff are preparing to commence maintenance, cleaning and sanitisation of more than 90,000 major and minor mosques across the Kingdom, which reopen on Sunday except for the mosques in Makkah.

This is coming after a closure of more than two months due to COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the Khaleej Times, a daily English language newspaper published in Dubai,  the reopening of mosques will be undertaken in accordance with the guidance of Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Abdullatif Al Asheikh, and in line with advice issued by the Senior Council of Ulamas.

The ministry has embarked on a vigorous media campaign to urge all worshippers to abide by preventive measures for their own safety to curb the spread of Covid-19. Among the instructions are doing ablution at home, hand-washing and using sanitisers before going out to the mosque and after coming back home.

The elderly and those with chronic diseases are advised to perform their prayers at home. Reading and reciting the Holy Quran online is advised, too, from one’s own mobile phone or at least reading from a privately owned copy of the Quran.

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Bringing one’s prayer mat to perform prayers in mosques is highly recommended as well as keeping a two-metre distance between one another prayer.

Accompanying children under the age of 15 to the mosques is prohibited.

Putting on a face mask and avoiding shaking hands and other contact is also recommended.

Meanwhile, the ministry managed, during the closure of mosques, to undertaking a massive cleaning, sanitising and maintenance drive in all mosques Kingdom-wide, according to world-class standards and best-known practices.

This included sanitising over 10 million mosques, 43 million copies of several sizes and volumes of the Quran, more than 600,000 Quran cupboards, in addition to repairing and maintaining about 176,000 water closets, annexed to mosques.