Saudi Arabia: Two Holy Mosques Reopen Within Days

The head of the affairs of the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Sudais, reassured on Tuesday Muslims by saying that “Within days, worshipers will return to the Two Holy Mosques.”

In a video broadcast by a number of official accounts and various media, Sheikh al-Sudais said that “Within days, the sorrow will leave this nation and we return to the Two Holy Places for circumambulation, known as Tawaf, seeking and praying in the honorable Rawdah and peace be upon Mustafa, peace be upon him.”

"Things will return, God willing, as they were, as the state is keen to create a sound and healthy environment," he added, 

He also called concerned officials not to take hasty decisions in relaxing the restrictions imposed within the precautionary measures in Saudi Arabia.

On his part, the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said in a tweet in its official account on “Twitter" that "With God's permission, then with the leadership of our rational government, and our commitment to the procedures and instructions issued by the competent authorities, we will return to Mecca and open the Two Holy Mosques. Then, visiting the Prophet Mohamed’s Mosque will be available again. The feelings of Muslims are with us and support us from everywhere.”

On April 21, the Saudi authorities announced the continuation of the suspension of the performance of the five daily prayers and Tarawih prayers in the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina during the holy month of Ramadan, against the backdrop of the pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

In this regard, the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques reported that the Saudi authorities decided “In accordance with the precautionary measures to suspend i’tikaaf” at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina “during the holy month of Ramadan for this year.”