15-Minute Friday Sermon, Prayer in Saudi Mosques over COVID-19 Concerns

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs Abdullatif Al-Sheikh issued directives to take a number of temporary measures related to prayers as part of strengthening prevention against the outbreak of the coronavirus.

These include fixing the duration of time between the first call for prayer (adhan) and second call for prayer (iqamah) to 10 minutes in all the Kingdom’s mosques.

In a statement published in the ministry’s Twitter account on Monday, the minister also directed that the maximum time for Friday sermon and prayer should not exceed 15 minutes, according to Saudi Gazette.

There are also instructions to stop arrangements for iftar meals, prevention of i'tikaaf (seclusion for worship in mosque) and removing food and dates as well as cups used for drinking water from places where worshipers gather for prayer.