All UAE mosques shift to 12.45pm Friday prayers from tomorrow

Dubai: Friday sermons and prayers across the UAE will be held at 12.45pm from tomorrow, under a nationwide schedule announced last month by religious authorities.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat said the change, effective from tomorrow—the first Friday of the new year—establishes a unified prayer time across all emirates and mosques. Worshippers have been urged to arrive early to ensure they do not miss the sermon.

Officials said the move aims to standardise Friday worship nationwide, ensuring congregations attend the full sermon and receive consistent religious guidance. A fixed sermon time, the authority said, supports orderly congregational worship and the unified delivery of religious messages.

Beyond religious considerations, the adjustment is intended to ease coordination across communities. With a single national schedule, families, workers and students are expected to find it easier to organise their Fridays, particularly in a country with multiple emirates and thousands of mosques. The measure aligns with broader government efforts to simplify daily life through unified national policies.

The timing change also coincides with the designation of 2026 as the UAE’s “Year of the Family”, with officials saying the adjusted schedule supports shared family time, balanced routines and greater flexibility on Fridays.

Islamic scholars agree that the Friday prayer is performed during the time of Dhuhr, after the sun passes its zenith and before the Asr prayer. Holding the prayer at 12.45pm falls well within this established window and meets the required jurisprudential conditions, according to the majority of scholars.