Men perform the Al Fajr prayer inside the Al Rajhi mosque, in Riyadh. Tens of thousands of mosques across Saudi Arabia reopened Sunday for the first time in more than two months, with worshipers ordered to follow strict guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus as Islam's holiest site in Mecca remained closed to the public.
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A worshipper wearing a face mask and gloves as he prays the dawn prayers at Al Mirabi mosque in Jiddah. In Saudi Arabia, the government prepared for the reopening of around 90,000 mosques after sanitising prayer rugs, washrooms and shelves.
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The Ministry of Islamic Affairs said millions of text messages were sent to people in multiple languages to inform them about the new rules for public prayer, which include keeping a two-meter distance between people during prayer, wearing face masks at all times and abstaining from greeting one another with handshakes or hugs.
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Workers place a poster in Arabic which reads, "the precautionary measures and instructions inside mosques for Friday prayers" at Al Mirabi Mosque in Jiddah. Children under 15 years-old were not being allowed inside mosques. The elderly and those with chronic conditions were being told to pray at home.
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People are also being advised to perform the mandatory ablution at home since washrooms at mosques will be closed, to use hand sanitisers and to bring their own prayer rugs and copies of the Quran.
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The restrictions call for mosques to open just 15 minutes before each of the five daily prayers and to close 10 minutes after they conclude. Friday sermons and prayers are to last no longer than 15 minutes.
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The new measures come as Saudi Arabia and other countries around the world begin to loosen restrictions and stay-at-home orders following weeks of curfews and lock downs.
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However, the Grand Mosque in Mecca will remain closed to the public. The city has been under a strict lock down for several weeks. While the mosque in Medina will be partially opened to the public to pray outside.
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Cleric Hammoud Al Labban recites the call to prayer as worshippers attend the dawn prayers at Al Mirabi Mosque in Jiddah. Despite taking early and unprecedented measures to curb the spread of the virus, Saudi Arabia has recorded more than 83,000 people contracting the virus, including 480 deaths.
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The Al Aqsa Mosque (pictured) in Jerusalem, also reopened for prayers for the first time since it was closed in mid-March.
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With little regards for social distancing, throngs waited outside the holy site's gates before it opened early Sunday, with many wearing surgical masks. As they were allowed to enter, the faithful stopped to have their temperature measured.
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Men pray inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's old city.
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A worshipper prays inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's old city.
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Men perform the dawn prayer (Al Fajr) inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's old city.
Image Credit: AFP
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Worshippers enter to pray at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.
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Men perform the dawn prayer (Al Fajr) inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.
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A man prays inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.
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People pray inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound.
Image Credit: AP
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A ma prays inside the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's old city.
Image Credit: AP
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