People professing Islam should refrain from visiting mosques during the upcoming fasting month of Ramadan due to COVID-19 security provisions, the Fatwa Council of the United Arab Emirates said in a statement on Monday
DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th April, 2020) People professing Islam should refrain from visiting mosques during the upcoming fasting month of Ramadan due to COVID-19 security provisions, the Fatwa Council of the United Arab Emirates said in a statement on Monday.
Ramadan, the holy month in Islam when people of faith fast during daytime and gather for group meals and prayers after sunset, is expected to begin on April 24 this year.
"Healthy people should observe Ramadan, except for medical personnel on the front lines of fight against COVID-19 if they fear that fasting can weaken their immune system or make them lose patients. Group prayers threaten lives at the moment, which is strictly forbidden in Islam," the council said in a statement published by Emirati media.
According to the statement, all prayers should be performed with respect to the COVID-19 social distancing rules.
The UAE government officially banned prayer in mosques across the country in mid-March as part of measures to curb the spread of infection.
As of Monday, the UAE has reported 7,265 cumulative cases of COVID-19, including 43 fatalities and 1,360 recoveries.
