Saudi halts prayers in mosques over coronavirus

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday suspended prayers inside all but theholiest two mosques in Islam as the kingdom steps up efforts to contain the newcoronavirus, state media reported.

Mosques will be temporarily shut for the five daily Islamicprayers as well as the weekly Friday prayers, the official Saudi Press Agencysaid, citing the council of senior scholars — the kingdom’s highest religiousbody.

   

It said mosques would continue to issue the ritual call toprayer.

The decision seeks to direct worshippers to pray at home butdoes not affect prayers in Mecca’s Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque inMedina, it added.

The announcement risks riling fringe hardliners for whomreligion trumps health considerations.

Saudi Arabia has reported 171 coronavirus cases, but nodeaths so far.

The Arab world’s biggest economy has shut down cinemas,malls and restaurants, halted flights and suspended the year-round umrahpilgrimage in a bid to contain the deadly virus.

More than 1,000 cases of the virus have been recorded so faracross the six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

On Monday, Bahrain’s health ministry said a woman had diedfrom the coronavirus, the first death from the disease among GCC states.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

4 × five =