UAE mosques observe Friday prayers at the new 12.45 pm timing

Unified prayer timings aim to standardise worship and support easier community planning

Last updated:
Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor
2 MIN READ
Worshippers gather at a mosque in Abu Dhabi for Friday prayers, which were held at 12.45 pm under the new nationwide schedule.
Worshippers gather at a mosque in Abu Dhabi for Friday prayers, which were held at 12.45 pm under the new nationwide schedule.
Afra Alnofeli/Gulf News
1/9
Worshippers at Jumeirah Mosque in Dubai after the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat announced a unified 12.45pm Friday prayer time across all emirates.
Ahmad Alotbi/Gulf News
2/9
Friday prayers across the UAE are set to be observed at a fixed 12.45pm time to standardise worship nationwide.
Virendra Saklani/Gulf News
3/9
A unified sermon time aims to ensure congregations attend the full khutbah and receive consistent religious guidance.
Virendra Saklani/Gulf News
4/9
Mosques across multiple emirates follow the same Friday prayer schedule under the new national timing system.
Ahmad Alotbi/Gulf News
5/9
Worshippers arrive for Friday prayers at a mosque in The Greens, Dubai.
Salamat Hussain/Gulf News
6/9
The timing change aligns with the UAE’s designation of 2026 as the ‘Year of the Family’, supporting shared time and balance.
Ahmad Alotbi/Gulf News
7/9
Islamic scholars note that holding Friday prayers at 12.45pm falls within the accepted Dhuhr prayer window.
Virendra Saklani/Gulf News
8/9
The nationwide Friday prayer schedule reflects broader efforts to simplify daily life through unified national policies.
Salamat Hussain/Gulf News
9/9
Worshippers during Friday prayers at Jumeirah mosque in Dubai.
Ahmad Alotbi/Gulf News
Devadasan K P
Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor
Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

Sign up for the Daily Briefing

Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox

Up Next