Saudi Arabia, UAE Mosques to Stay Closed for Eid Prayers

Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia, UAE Mosques to Stay Closed for Eid Prayers

Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
Worshippers perform Tarawih prayers at the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

Mosques will remain closed for prayers on the Eid al-Fitr holiday, Saudi and United Arab Emirates officials said on Friday, calling on the population to adhere to safety guidelines to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Eid, which marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, may fall on Saturday or Sunday in the Gulf region.

Saudi Islamic Affairs Minister Abdullatif al-Sheikh gave instructions not to have Eid prayers in mosques, Saudi state TV quoted him as saying.

"Muslims will hold the Eid prayer at home because of the pandemic," the Saudi Press Agency cited Sheikh Abdul Bari al-Thubaiti, the imam, or the prayer leader, of the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah, as saying in the Friday sermon.

During Ramadan, prayers without worshippers were held by the imams in the two holy mosques of Makkah and Madinah, in the west of the kingdom.

In the UAE, the Dubai government's media office said on Twitter that mosques will remain closed, and listed a series of Eid customs that should not be observed, including family visits and giving gifts or money to children.



US Secretary of Energy Visits Saudi Arabia’s KAUST 

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)
US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)
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US Secretary of Energy Visits Saudi Arabia’s KAUST 

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)
US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz during the visit to KAUST. (SPA)

US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright visited Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), where he was received by Minister of Energy and Chairman of KAUST’s Board of Trustees Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, University President Edward Byrne, and senior officials, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

The delegation was briefed on KAUST’s research and innovation programs, its role in advancing a knowledge-based economy and addressing global challenges through science and technology, and key research projects and emerging technologies across multiple sectors, with particular focus on its contributions to Saudi Arabia’s energy sector and support for relevant national and global goals.

Under its “Accelerating Impact” strategy, KAUST aims to boost its position as a global innovation hub by advancing scientific research, fostering entrepreneurship, and building partnerships — including ongoing collaboration with international bodies such as the US Department of Energy — aimed at achieving sustainable progress in the fields of energy and science at both the national and global levels.

Wright’s visit to KAUST came during a four-day trip to Saudi Arabia aimed at exploring opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation across various areas of the energy sector.