Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are shortening traditional Friday prayers until the end of summer due to the intense heat.
In many countries, Muslims perform Friday afternoon prayers, including a religious sermon, in open-air arenas inside and outside mosques.
The UAE ordered all preachers across the country to limit Friday prayers to 10 minutes until early October “to ensure the safety of worshippers.”
In Saudi Arabia, Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina will be limited to 15 minutes to accommodate worshippers praying in outer, unshaded areas, the Presidency of Religious Affairs said.
Meanwhile, in Iraq, influential cleric Muqtada al-Sadr urged preachers to “stick to simple prayers” and keep Friday sermons short so worshippers avoid intense heat.
Severe heat waves have hit people in the Middle East in recent weeks.
More than 1,300 Muslim pilgrims died during the annual Hajj pilgrimage that ended earlier in June amid extreme heat.
