Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, Dr. Abdullatif Al-Sheikh issued an order to stop holding Friday prayers in the mosques where they were allowed temporarily during the coronavirus pandemic period.
These mosques are located in the near vicinity of mosques that enjoy permanent permission to hold Friday prayers.
Earlier, the minister allowed these mosques to hold Friday prayers temporarily as part of precautionary measures to reduce congestion and overcrowding as well as to maintain social distancing in mosques where Friday prayers were being offered before the outbreak of the pandemic.
The General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has reactivated its operational plans for full-capacity worship with its field teams removing social distancing stickers.
These preparations by the General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque come ahead of the holy month of Ramadan and the presidency will outline operational plans for the religious occasion.
When the precautionary measures were lifted, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, general president of the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, confirmed that the presidency will develop new plans to improve the service for visitors to the Two Holy Mosques and Umrah pilgrims.
The spokesman for the General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, Hani bin Hosni Haidar, stated that the president’s operational plan will apply at the Two Holy Mosques for the coming Ramadan season.
The plan will be announced on March 2, 2022, in a press conference, in the presence of General President Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais in which he will address the most prominent features of the operational plan.
It was stated that all the procedures and services that were suspended during the pandemic have been restored, including lifting posters and cancelling social distancing between worshippers.
Also, Zamzam water containers will be put back throughout the Two Holy Mosques, the services of electric vehicles and manual wheelchairs will resume, and the Two Holy Mosques will again be open for visitors in full capacity.
Lectures have resumed, and a schedule will be published on the presidency’s website.
It was also stated that visitors should cooperate with the presidency’s workers by following the procedures in place during their travel to the Grand Mosque for prayers or performing Umrah. However, visitors have to wear face masks.
According to the circular, issued by the ministry, the directive for the suspension of Friday prayers in these mosques would come into effect from 12 March 2022. The minister directed the imams of these mosques to inform worshipers about the directive.
