Saudi Senior Scholars Urge Muslims Worldwide to Pray at Home during Ramadan over Virus

Saudi Arabia's highest religious body urged Muslims worldwide to pray at home during Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to combat coronavirus. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia's highest religious body urged Muslims worldwide to pray at home during Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to combat coronavirus. (AFP)
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Saudi Senior Scholars Urge Muslims Worldwide to Pray at Home during Ramadan over Virus

Saudi Arabia's highest religious body urged Muslims worldwide to pray at home during Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to combat coronavirus. (AFP)
Saudi Arabia's highest religious body urged Muslims worldwide to pray at home during Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to combat coronavirus. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia's highest religious body, the Council of Senior Scholars, urged Muslims worldwide to pray at home during the holy fasting month of Ramadan if their countries require social distancing to combat coronavirus, reported the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Sunday.

"Muslims shall avoid gatherings, because they are the main cause of the spread of infection...and shall remember that preserving the lives of people is a great act that brings them closer to God," it said in a statement.

Public gatherings include mass prayers and breaking fast and suhour meals.

Ramadan is set to begin next week.

The council recommended that Muslims perform regular and Taraweeh (optional evening) prayers at home if their country advised them to do so due to the virus outbreak.

Muslims must set an example in how to fully respect preventive measures in their countries, added the council. Islamic Sharia allows for different forms of worship whereby the worshipper can do no harm to himself and others.

Earlier this week, Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said that Muslim prayers during Ramadan and for the subsequent Eid al-Fitr feast should be performed at home if the coronavirus outbreak continues.

Saudi Arabia in mid-March stopped people performing their five daily prayers and the weekly Friday prayer inside mosques as part of efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus.

On Thursday, the Prophet’s Mosque in the holy city of Madinah said it was banning events which dispense evening meals in the mosque to those in need during Ramadan to break their daily fast.



Saudi Defense Ministry's Health Services Launches First Mobile Field Hospital in Holy Sites 

General view of the Grand Mosque during Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
General view of the Grand Mosque during Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
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Saudi Defense Ministry's Health Services Launches First Mobile Field Hospital in Holy Sites 

General view of the Grand Mosque during Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)
General view of the Grand Mosque during Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, June 3, 2025. (SPA)

The Saudi Ministry of Defense’s Health Services launched a mobile field hospital for the first time in the holy sites, as part of its efforts to support the healthcare system during the Hajj and provide comprehensive medical services to pilgrims in line with the highest standards of quality and safety, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The state-of-the-art mobile field hospital comprises 29 trailers and 26 modules that house all main hospital components, including the main entrance, connecting corridors, emergency exits, and essential services, enabling full-scale medical operations in a field environment.

The hospital includes inpatient wards with a capacity of 50 beds, a fully equipped pharmacy with a medicine storage unit, a radiology unit, a medical laboratory, and specialized clinics. It also features a surgical operating room with a recovery and sterilization wing, intensive care and observation units, and an emergency department.

The mobile field hospital’s inauguration reflects the vital role of the Ministry of Defense in serving the pilgrims and boosting the readiness of the health infrastructure in the holy sites, helping pilgrims to perform their rituals with ease and tranquility.