Syria Mosques to Reopen Friday

TEHRAN (IQNA) – Syria’s Ministry of Religious Affairs announced the reopening of mosques only for Friday Prayer, starting on May 8, on the occasion of the current Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The prayer rituals will be in accordance with health regulations such as wearing of masks by the faithful, maintaining proper distance between people and putting sterilizers at the entrances of the mosques, said a statement from the ministry, plenglish.com website reported.

Also, attendance at prayer by sick people with coronavirus-like symptoms is prohibited. Sterilizing worship centers before and after praying is required and the sermon is not to exceed 10 minutes.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Union of Levant Scholars issued a fatwa, a religious decree, to temporarily suspend prayers and sermons in Syrian mosques, starting on March 15, as a preventive measure against COVID-19.