Worshipers in Oman Urged to Abide by COVID-19 Rules during Ramadan

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Worshipers in Oman have been urged to abide by COVID-19 rules during Ramadan after a series of breaches.

Oman’s Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs made call on Tuesday.

A new set of rules was announced last week that coincides with the holy month, including limiting the special prayers, named taraweeh, at mosques only to adults who are fully vaccinated.

The restrictions were brought in earlier this month to stop the spread of Omicron, cases of which have increased rapidly worldwide in recent months.

“The ministry has called on the deputies of mosques, imams and preachers to abide by decisions announced and urged all worshipers to apply physical distancing and to wear masks while performing rituals,” said a statement by the government body.

“These directives come after the fact that some worshipers did not adhere to the procedures, including Friday prayers and Taraweeh prayers,” it said.

Taraweeh prayers are conducted after the nightly prayers and usually last up to an hour. They are performed only during Ramadan.

Mass gatherings for iftar and suhoor meals will again be prohibited, including the free charity Iftar Sa’im gatherings, which are usually held in public for those in need.

“The ministry also decided to continue banning charitable iftar tables in mosque and other public places and to ensure people follow COVID-19 measures in closed places,” said the statement.

Before the pandemic, large groups gathered for taraweeh every night during the holy month, and large iftar meals were offered in mosques throughout Oman so Muslims could gather and break the day-long fast together.

Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq has also asked Omanis to follow the rules.

“His Majesty the Sultan prayed to the Almighty Allah to shower abundant blessings of Ramadan on all Muslims,” a statement from his office released on Saturday read.

Authorities in Oman have encouraged residents and citizens to receive their second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine if they have not already done so.

Those who had caught the virus and were admitted to intensive care units were either not vaccinated or had received only one dose of the vaccine, health officials said.

Oman has recorded a total of 388,536 cases of coronavirus and 4,252 deaths since the outbreak began.

Health authorities recorded 36 new cases on Tuesday.

Source: Thenationalnews.com