Saudi Arabia cuts prayer waiting times in Mecca to ease heat strain on Hajj pilgrims

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has instructed mosques across Mecca to shorten the interval between the call to prayer (adhan) and the second call (iqamah) during the Hajj season, in a move aimed at improving the experience for millions of pilgrims navigating crowded sites in soaring temperatures.

The directive was issued by Sheikh Abdullatif Al Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance, and applies to all mosques frequented by pilgrims, particularly those in Mecca’s central area and at the holy sites.

The ministry confirmed that under the new guidelines, the waiting time will be set at 15 minutes for Fajr, 10 minutes for Dhuhr and Asr, 5 minutes for Maghrib, and 10 minutes for Isha.

The shortened intervals are set to ease the burden on worshippers, reduce prolonged exposure to heat, and help improve the flow of movement in and around sacred areas.

The latest measures build on a similar initiative last week by Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al Sudais, head of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, who ordered imams at the Grand Mosque to limit Friday sermons and prayers to 15 minutes maximum, and to reduce adhan-to-iqamah time to 5–10 minutes.

With Hajj taking place this year amid extreme summer heat, Saudi authorities are striving to balance the logistics of crowd management with the physical and spiritual well-being of pilgrims, many of whom are elderly or traveling for the first and only time in their lives.

Huda Ata is an independent writer based in the UAE.