The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat (Awqaf) of the United Arab Emirates has ordered that Friday sermons be limited to ten minutes.
The Awqaf has ordered the imams of all mosques in the country to keep the Friday sermon short so that the total time spent for the sermon and Friday prayer does not exceed ten minutes.
The directive will come into force today (June 28) and will remain in force until early October, the Emirates News Agency reported.
The directive is aimed at protecting worshippers from extreme summer temperatures, which have recently exceeded 50 degrees Celsius. A spokesman for Awqaf said: “The reduction is in line with Islamic practices to safeguard the health of the community.”
With temperatures in the UAE reaching between 48-50°C, the initiative aims to protect worshippers from excessive heat during the peak summer months.
The country experiences maximum summer temperatures in July and August, and the summer months officially last from June to September.
Saudi Arabia has also implemented a similar policy, reducing Friday sermons and prayers at the Two Holy Mosques to 15 minutes.
