Some Mosques to Reopen on 15 November

Oman’s Supreme Anti-Coronavirus Committee has announced mosques will reopen in the Sultanate on 15 November. The reopening was approved after considering proposals from the Awqaf and Religious Affairs Ministry. However, only those mosques with under 400 worshippers will be able to reopen and they will only be able to reopen for the five daily prayers. They will have to comply with the relevant anti-Coronavirus measures and they will not be allowed to open for Friday prayers. Under the anti-Coronavirus measures, a worshipper should not go to a mosque if they feel any COVID-19 symptoms or if one of their family does. This will apply to those who have interacted with infected people as well. Mosques will have to be opened at Call-for-Prayer Time or Adhan and only remain open for 25 minutes. This will have to include Adhan, prayer and leaving the mosque. Holy Quran books should be kept away and not be used by worshippers. Water coolers have to be closed and all toilets have to be closed. Worshippers will have to bring their own prayer mats and sanitise their hands before coming to the mosque and before leaving it. They should also wear face masks all the time when they are in mosques and comply with social distancing rules of 1.5 metres. People responsible for mosque management have to see to it that all worshippers’ adhere to the measures mentioned above and other precautionary measures listed in the “Instructional Guide and Procedures for Mosque Preparation and Equipment” issued by the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, without prejudice to the above-mentioned procedures. Also reported on Atheer on 10 November 2020. Full story

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