This Ramadan, Muslims may not be able to follow itikaf, as Itikaf suspended during this year’s Ramadan, the act involving one to stay in a mosque aiming to worship only, in the Mosque of Prophet (PBUH) and at the Grand Mosque, present in Makkah.
On Monday, this announcement was made on Twitter by the General Presidency for the Affairs managing the Two Holy Mosques. They believe that their decision was necessary as a preventive method concerning the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Head of this Presidency, Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, has also accepted that they have suspended the daily five prayers, iftar meals and the Taraweeh prayers throughout the Holy month of Ramadan in order to protect the health of the visiting Muslims.
He further added that only the presidency officials would follow the daily five prayers and the special Taraweeh prayers within the Two Holy Mosques.
They would also sterilize their workers following the upcoming blessed month. It was also announced that the Taraweeh prayers would be cut down to 10 rakats only. Sheikh Al-Sudais also stated that the prayer of qunoot would be short and would only emphasize worshipping Allah to call off the coronavirus.
He claimed that his team has strategized a lot of plans regarding the pandemic. And their target would be maintaining precautionary measures and sterilizing every possible time. They would also set up 10 thermal cameras within these Holy Mosques.
At least 100,000 Muslims execute itikaf in the last Ashra of Ramadan in these Holy Mosques. The Higher Authorities have also called off all the prayers that require the congregation to be performed within Mosques throughout the nation.
At the start of this week, the Senior Scholars Council requested Muslims throughout the world to worship inside their houses. Mainly, this advice is for those Muslims who were facing strict restrictions and lockdowns in their areas.
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