Ismaeel Naar

DUBAI — Bahrain announced its Al-Fateh Grand Mosque will hold evening and Taraweeh prayers throughout the month of Ramadan, according to the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments, clarifying that it will be open to only five people at a time.

“Al-Fateh Mosque will be opened for Isha (Evening) and Taraweeh (Special prayers performed after Isha prayers in Ramadan) throughout the holy month, the Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments has said, stressing that the decision was endorsed by HM the King,” according to a statement from the Bahrain News Agency.

The announcement regarding the evening and Taraweeh prayers during Ramadan follows an earlier confirmation that the Al-Fateh Grand Mosque would re-open for Friday prayers.

“However, the Friday, Isha and Taraweeh prayers will be limited to the imam and to five people with the obligation to wear masks and under the supervision of the competent health authorities," according to BNA’s statement.

The aim of re-opening the mosque for the Friday, evening and Taraweeh prayers in a limited capacity is to broadcast them through Bahrain’s media channels throughout the month of Ramadan.

Strict restrictions such as limiting the prayers to no more than five people, social distancing rules of keeping at least two meters apart and wearing face masks would be implemented during the limited prayers at the A-Fateh Grand Mosque.

Normally, communal group prayers in mosques entail Muslims to line side-by-side with feet and shoulders touching each other. Several Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and others have suspended group prayers in mosques until further notice to slow the spread of the virus.

This year’s holy month of Ramadan is expected to start on Thursday or Friday, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon on Wednesday night.

Bahrain had suspended all prayers in mosques and prayers halls across the island kingdom starting March 23 as part of measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. — Al Arabiya English