With communal prayers set to resume in the Capital Male’ with dusk (maqrib) prayers today, Islamic Ministry has urged mosque goers not to linger at the mosques after the congregational prayers.
The Ministry had highlighted the following instructions for mosque-goers which;
- 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
- Elderly persons and individuals with respiratory illnesses should remain home
- No handshaking in or out of the mosquesAvoid using copies of the Holy Quran kept at the mosques
The ministry also advised Imams to begin congregational prayers five minutes after the call of prayer and not to prolong any prayer for more than seven minutes. The ministry also advised Imams to recite short chapters (Surah) of the holy Quran during congregational prayers.
As for the City Council, the Islamic Ministry said the council must make sure that mosques that are allowed to hold communal prayers do not have carpets and ensure that the mosques are mopped and cleaned before each congregation. Also the city council must make sure to make arrangements for mosques goers to wash their hands with soap at the premise. The Ministry said that the air conditions must not be used in the mosques unless absolutely necessary and that doors and windows must be opened to allow ventilation.
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.
