The United Arab Emirates has instructed mosque preachers across the country to limit the duration of Friday sermons and prayers to a maximum 10 minutes as searing heat continues to engulf the region, the state news agency said on Thursday.
A mosque is seen on the Jumeirah beach road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Reuters/Satish Kumar
The United Arab Emirates has instructed mosque preachers across the country to limit the duration of Friday sermons and prayers to a maximum 10 minutes as searing heat continues to engulf the region, the state news agency said on Thursday.
The directive, issued by the UAE's General Authority for Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Zakat (AWQAF), will take effect on Friday and last until early October, according to the WAM agency.
The decision was made to " ensure the safety of worshippers and to meet the needs of those who visit the houses of God, especially during the summer months when temperatures are high," WAM added.
According to the UAE's National Center of Meteorology, summer temperatures in the Gulf country frequently exceed 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), with some areas experiencing highs of up to 50 C (122 F).
At the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, 1,301 people died, 83% of whom were unregistered pilgrims exposed to direct sunlight "without adequate shelter or comfort," Saudi Arabia's health minister said earlier this week.
By Tala Ramadan
Nothing captured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's isolation more starkly this week than the image of U.S. President Donald Trump shaking hands with Syria's Islamist leader Ahmed al‑Sharaa - a man Israel has branded "an al‑Qaeda terrorist in a suit."
Israel will ease its blockade and let limited amounts of food into Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Sunday, after the military announced it had begun "extensive ground operations" in the northern and southern parts of the enclave.
Any deal between the United States and Iran must include an agreement not to enrich uranium, U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Sunday, a comment that drew criticism from Tehran.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.