After a
three-month closure, Egyptian mosques and Al-Azhar re-opened on Saturday after
being sterilized to receive the worshippers every day except for Fridays, in
light of the country’s plan of coping with the outbreak of the novel
coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Minister of Awqaf [Endowment] Mukhtar Gomaa said in a sermon in Mohamed Ali
Mosque that the mosque goer should ablute first in his house, wear a face mask,
and avoid hand-shaking. He added that ill people are advised to not go to the
mosques, noting that by abiding these rules, the congregational prayers could
be resumed again.
The ministry asked every mosque to distribute masks among the worshippers, with
closing the door of the mosque after completing the number of the worshippers
inside. In addition to this, a 150-centimeter distance among worshippers is
applied inside the mosques nationwide.
According to the rules set by the ministry, the mosque should be opened 10
minutes before the Adan [the call for prayer] and closed ten minutes after. The
violator of the rules will be held accountable.
Source: Egypt Today
