Saudi Arabia reopens key Islamic holy site to worshippers

SAUDI Arabia has said that starting from Sunday, it will gradually reopen the Prophet Mohammed’s (PUBH) Mosque in the city of Medina, one of Islam’s two holiest sites, two months after it was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A state agency in charge of the mosque said Saturday congregational prayers would be allowed in 40 percent of the site’s capacity amid strict precautions.

They include sterilizing the site after each prayer and setting up barriers to ensure distancing among worshippers, the agency added on its Twitter account.

It also called on the faithful to wear protective face masks.

In March, fears over the spread of the coronavirus prompted Saudi authorities to halt access to the Prophet Mohammed (PUBH) Mosque and the Grand Mosque in the city of Mecca.

Mosques, except those in Mecca, are to reopen on Sunday across Saudi Arabia, as the country has loosened virus-induced restrictions.

The Grand Mosque in Mecca houses the cube-shaped Kaaba, a building considered to be the most sacred site in Islam toward which Muslims around the world direct their daily prayers.

Since late February, Saudi Arabia has suspended the Muslim Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca due to fears over a coronavirus outbreak.

Millions of Muslims travel to Saudi Arabia every year to perform the Umrah, the minor pilgrimage that can be undertaken at any time during the year. The main Muslim pilgrimage, Hajj, is due late July this year.