A total of 299 mosques across Qatar will be reopened in the second phase on July 1 Wednesday, except for Friday prayers, as part of easing the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions, the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs announced Monday.
In the first phase, 500 mosques were reopened. The ministry urged the faithful to follow the directives from the authorities to prevent the spread of Covid-19 while releasing the list of the mosques.
“We are pleased to announce that more mosques will be opened in line with resuming activities in the second phase. The mosques will be available for believers from Fajr prayer on July 1,” a tweet by the ministry said.
It was in March that the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs ordered mosques to close and suspend the five obligatory congregational prayers and Friday prayers for the safety and well-being of worshippers as a preventive and precautionary measure to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Only the Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab Mosque was exempted from this decision, where Friday prayers were held exclusively in the presence of 40 worshippers, including the imam and the mosque's employees.
Mosques will be reopened at various areas including Abal Hayat, Ezghawa, Al Salata Al Jadeeda, Umm Al Zubar West, Umm Saneem, Ain Khaled, Umm Salal Ali, Umm Qarn, Umm Lekhba, Bin Omran, Bane Hajer, Bu Sidra, Bu Hamour, Umm Al Amad, Al Thumama, Al Sheehaniya, Al Jumailiya, Al Azeeziya, Al Khor, Al Kheesa, Al Duhail, Al Mamoura,Legataifiya, Al Sudan, Al Sailiya, Al Shamal, Al Ebb, Al Ghanim Al Jadeed, Al Gharrafa, Gharrafat Al Rayyan, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed, Mesaieed, Al Matar Al Qadeem, Madinat Khalifa North, Muaither South, Muaither North, Al Nasraniya, Al Nuaija, Al Wakra, Al Wukair and Al Wajba.
The worshippers, according to a circular by the ministry, should cover their mouth and nose while sneezing, wear face masks as long as they are in the mosques and make ablution at home because the bathrooms and ablution place of the mosques will be closed.
The ministry has asked the faithful not to go early to the mosques as they will be opened only with prayer calls. The worshippers should maintain a distance of 2m between each other and should not gather inside the mosque.
They should also bring their own prayer mat and not share it with others or leave it in the mosque, the ministry added.
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