24-hour curfew across Saudi Arabia during Eid al Fitr holiday

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24-hour curfew across Saudi Arabia during Eid al Fitr holiday

Eid ul Fitr 2020 is likely to be celebrated on May 23 or 24. The final decision will be taken based on sighting of new moon

Wednesday May 13, 2020 9:43 AM, ummid.com News Network

[Masjid e Nabawi - the Prophet's Mosque, in Madinah. (File photo)]

Mumbai: Saudi Arabia has announced 24 hour curfew and total lockdown across the Kingdom during the Eid al Fitr holiday due to start later in the next week.

"A 24-hour curfew will be imposed across the Kingdom during the five-day Eid Al-Fitr holiday (May 23 to 27) to check the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)", Arab News reported citing a statement by the Saudi Interior Ministry.

"Residents will be allowed to leave their homes only to buy essentials and for medical purposes between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m", the ministry said.

"Until then economic activities will remain open and people can move freely between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., excluding Makkah, which remains under full curfew", the statement added.

Eid al Fitr prayer at home

Saudi Arabia had earlier asked all its citizens to offer Eid al Fitr prayers at home.

"If the status quo persists (i.e. restrictions continue), making it impossible to hold Eid prayer at mosques, people will have to pray at home and no sermon will follow the Eid prayer", Saudi Grand Mufti Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh said.

He said that the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta had issued a fatwa that it was desirable for whoever missed congregational Eid prayers to perform it without a sermon following it.

Eid ul Fitr 2020 is likely to be celebrated on May 23 or 24. The final decision will be taken based on sighting of new moon.

Saudi Arabia has so far reported 42,925 confirmed Covid-19 cases including 264 deaths. The Ministry of Health has registered 2,520 new recoveries, the highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic, raising the total number to 15,257.

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