Egypt reopens mosques after 3-month closure due to COVID-19

CAIRO - 27 June 2020: After a three-month closure, Egyptian mosques and Al-Azhar re-opened on Saturday after being sterilized to receive the worshippers every day except for Fridays, in light of the country’s plan of coping with the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Minister of Awqaf [Endowment] Mukhtar Gomaa said in a sermon in Mohamed Ali Mosque that the mosque goer should ablute first in his house, wear a face mask, and avoid hand-shaking. He added that ill people are advised to not go to the mosques, noting that by abiding these rules, the congregational prayers could be resumed again.

The ministry asked every mosque to distribute masks among the worshippers, with closing the door of the mosque after completing the number of the worshippers inside. In addition to this, a 150-centimeter distance among worshippers is applied inside the mosques nationwide.

According to the rules set by the ministry, the mosque should be opened 10 minutes before the Adhan [the call for prayer] and closed ten minutes after. The violator of the rules will be held accountable.