President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih says mosques in the Greater Male’ area will be opened for prayers in congregation from tomorrow onwards as hte country moves ahead in its fight against COVID-19 global pandemic.
In a tweet, the President said that this was part of the new phase of the lockdown ease that would be implemented from the 1st of July.
Earlier this month, the government had announced that it would re-open the mosques in the Male’ area for individuals to pray but would not allow communal prayers in the mosques.
The Islamic Ministry had said that the Male’ City Council should ensure that the mosques which opens do not have carpets on the floor, floors are cleaned and mopped daily, must ensure that individuals can wash their hands with soap at the mosques and also must ensure that the air-conditioners remained switched-off for now.
The Ministry also highlighted some instructions mosque-goers must follow which include
- Completing ablution from home
- Taking prayer mat to the mosque
- Maintain social distancing while entering and exiting the mosque
- Maintaining social distancing while placing a prayer mat on the floor and praying only on the mat he/she took
- To remain home if an individual has a cold, fever or cough
- To hurry back once the prayer is complete, not linger in the mosque
- Elderly persons and individuals with respiratory illnesses should remain home
- No handshaking in or out of the mosques
- Avoid using copies of the Holy Quran kept at the mosques
Communal prayers were banned in the Male’ area on March 18th while communal prayers were banned in the whole country on the 19th of April. But later on, the Islamic Ministry allowed islands without reported cases of Covid-19 to resume congregational prayers.
