The Maldives Ministry of Islamic Affairs on Thursday, 12 March 2020, has declared on all local mosques to shorten the Friday's sermon and prayer time.
Ministry of Islamic Affairs has made the demand in light of the rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic, that has reached the island nation already.
Friday prayers attract a lot of Muslims to attend mosques, and in the Maldives capital many are seen praying on several roads, atop praying mats and often the vicinity of most mosques are crowded.
The novel coronavirus is a vector-borne and contagious disease contracting from person to person.
Many of the local mosques have already utlized hand sanitizers and soaps across the ablution halls.
