Dear KAUST community,
In accordance with the latest announcements to the Kingdom regarding the of easing COVID-19 measures including the reopening of mosques, King Abdullah Mosque, Island Mosque and Garden Mosque will be reopened on Sunday, May 31, 2020 for all prayers.
The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has set mandatory guidelines for all mosques to abide by during this period:
- Mosques will open 15 minutes before the Adhan and will close 10 minutes after prayer
- The waiting period between the Adhan and Iqamah will be reduced to 10 minutes
- All windows and doors will be open from the start to the end of prayer
- All copies of the Holy Qur’an and other books will be temporarily removed from mosques
- Measures will be put in place to ensure that attendees keep a distance of two meters between each other
- One space must be left between each row of attendees
- All water coolers and refrigerators will be closed
- The distribution of water or food in mosques will not be allowed
- Toilets and places of ablution will be closed
Additional precautionary measures on Juma’ah (Friday) prayers are as follows:
- Mosques will be open 20 minutes before Friday prayer begins and will close 20 minutes after prayer
- Friday sermon with prayer should not exceed 15 minutes
We request all attending worshipers to abide to the following precautionary measures:
- Wear a face covering (mandatory)
- Bring your own prayer rugs and take them home with you after prayer
- Children under 15 years of age are not permitted to enter mosques
- Perform ablution at home
- Avoid crowding when entering or exiting mosques. Social distancing practices are to be followed
- People who are part of the vulnerable age group—including those with underlying medical conditions, age 65 and over and pregnant and nursing mothers—are encouraged not to attend prayer at mosques.
The “Keep KAUST Safe” community campaign is a series of guidelines, including handwashing, face coverings, and physical distancing, that must be followed to reduce the transmission of the virus throughout KAUST. Learn more about the guidelines on the Health, Safety and Environment website.
Regards,
Sulaiman AlThunayan
Vice President, Government Affairs
