Sunday 06 / October / 2024
Muscat: The Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic held a meeting at the Interior Ministry today under the chairmanship of Sayyid Hamoud bin Faisal al-Busaidi, Minister of Interior.
The Committee followed up local and international developments of the pandemic, measures to curb its spread and its different impacts.
After elaborate consultation and after studying the proposals made by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, the Committee decided to allow the opening of mosques whose capacity is not less than 400 worshippers (spacious mosques) from Sunday, 15 November 2020, on condition that only the five daily prayers are performed, with the exemption of Friday prayers.
The conditions for performing prayers at mosques also include the following:
1. A worshipper should avoid going to the mosque if he feels any symptoms of infection with Covid-19 or if such symptoms are experienced by one of his family members or people who have mingled with infected persons.
2. Mosques have to be opened at Call-for-Prayer Time (Adhan) and remain open only for 25 minutes, inclusive of Adhan, prayer and leaving the mosque.
3. Holy Quran books (Masahif) have to be kept away and not used by worshippers.
4. Water coolers (fridges) have to be shut down.
5. All toilets have to be totally closed.
6. Worshippers have to bring their own prayer mats.
7. Worshippers have to sanitize their hands before coming to the mosque and after leaving it.
8. Worshippers have to keep wearing face masks all the time when they are inside the mosque.
9. Worshippers have to observe distancing of not less than 1.5 metres.
10. People responsible for mosque management have to see to all worshippers’ commitment to the measures mentioned above and other precautionary measures listed in the “Instructional Guide and Procedures for Mosque Preparation and Equipment” issued by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, but without prejudice to the above-mentioned procedures.
The Supreme Committee prayed to the Almighty Allah to protect all people against all harm.
