Coronavirus: UAE mosques to open at 50 per cent capacity but Friday prayers remain suspended

Restrictions are being gradually eased after places of worship closed to contain the outbreak

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

Worshippers at the Bani Hashim Mosque in Rabdan during the first day restrictions have been eased on mosques in Abu Dhabi allowing 50% occupancy. Victor Besa /The National

UAE mosques can operate at 50 per cent capacity from Monday.

A larger number of worshippers can be accommodated as restrictions are gradually eased.

All places of worship were closed in March to prevent the spread of Covid-19. They were allowed to reopen at 30 per cent capacity on July 1. Friday prayers remain suspended.

The period between the call to prayer and the start of prayers will also be extended to 10 minutes, except for maghrib prayer, which will be five minutes.

The move is intended to limit possible contact between worshippers and avoid socialising before or afterwards.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments, known as Awqaf, said worshippers must stay two metres apart from one another.

Worshippers should perform ablution at home before attending the mosque for prayer, wear face masks and should not greet one another close-up.

They should bring their own copy of the Quran and prayer mats, download Al Hosn, the government's tracing and testing app, and avoid touching surfaces and door handles.

Awqaf urged older worshippers, children and people with underlying health conditions to continue to pray at home.

On July 20, prayer rooms in shopping malls and commercial towers across the UAE were allowed to operate again.

The places of worship were closed for months as part of restrictions imposed by the authorities to combat the spread of Covid-19.