RIYADH — The Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdullatif Al-Asheikh has stressed that lifting the temporary ban on Friday prayer and all obligatory congregational prayers in the mosques is a subject of great concern and attention by the rulers and the committees responsible for managing the coronavirus pandemic, Saudi Press Agency said Saturday. The minister said the health authorities, religious scholars, medical doctors and officials concerned, are working day and night to assess the situation to ensure that the precautionary measures are in place to protect the people's lives. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance has stressed that safeguarding people's lives and ensuring their safety is an absolute priority Islam urges us to guarantee. In a statement it issued, the ministry said that the temporary ban on Friday prayer and congregational prayer for all obligatory prayers in the mosques, in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, has come to protect people's lives and safety from any harm due to mingling. The minister said: "We are very keen to lift the temporary ban on Friday prayer and congregational obligatory prayers in the mosques. We hope this will be achieved soon after the pandemic disappears." He added: "This matter is totally subject to the directives of the rulers, the opinion of the Council of Senior Scholars and the assessment of the competent health authorities, with regard to full compliance in implementing all the precautionary and preventive measures to ensure the safety of all human beings." The minister asserted: "The intention for imposing a temporary ban on Friday prayer and congregational prayers in the mosques and then lifting it, is meant to be of benefit to the nation to ensure the safety of the citizens and expatriates on the Kingdom's soil." Some media and social media platforms had circulated imprecise stories on the lifting of the temporary ban soon, on Friday prayer and congregational prayers in the mosques, without basing this on correct information from official sources. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs appealed to all to necessarily seek precision when spreading or circulating news. They should make sure that they take the information from official sources during this period that necessitates concerted efforts by all and their commitment to surpass this crisis.
