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Fact Check: Has Saudi banned live broadcast of Taraweeh from Makkah, Madinah

Viral posts on social media platforms claiming Saudi Arabia has banned live broadcasting of Taraweeh during Ramadan from the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah are found to be fake after fact check analysis by Team ummid.com

Monday February 24, 2025 2:08 AM, Fact Check by Team ummid.com

Viral posts on social media platforms claiming Saudi Arabia has banned live broadcasting of Taraweeh during Ramadan, purportedly, from the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah are found to be fake after fact check analysis by Team ummid.com.

Claim

Some social media users are claiming that Saudi Arabia has banned the live broadcast of Taraweeh, purportedly, from the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Masjid Nabawi in Madinah.

A social media user who identifies him/her as “Azat” wrote on social media platform X:

“Officially..

“ Saudi Arabia bans broadcasting Tarawih prayers held in mosques or to transmit them via any type of media.

“The use of loudspeakers during prayers are also banned (sic)”.

“Azat” has tagged photograph of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with his post.

Another social media user “FSL Abbasi” while tagging an image of the Grand Mosque of Makkah wrote on social media platform X:

“muslim Saudi Arabia bans the live streaming of taraweeh prayers from mosques during Ramadan The Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dawah and Guidance has issued new directives prohibiting the use of cameras in mosques to film the imam and worshippers during prayers .(sic)”.

The post did not specifically mention Grand Mosque in Makkah or Masjid Nabawi in Madinah but used the photograph of Holy Kaaba in Makkah in an attempt, intentionally on unintentionally, to mislead.

Taraweeh prayers are the special night prayers offered during the holy month of Ramadan. And, the live broadcast of Taraweeh from the Grand Mosque in Makkah and The Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah is watched by millions around the world.

Fact Check Analysis

Team ummid.com conducted the fact check analysis of these viral posts. Upon investigation, the team was led to the reports by some news outlets including “siasat.com” and “middleeastmonitor.com”.

The two outlets citing the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported:

“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has issued new directives banning the use of cameras inside mosques to film the imam and worshippers during prayers for the upcoming month of Ramzan 1446 AH-2025.

“The Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Call and Guidance (MoiaEN) also prohibited the transmission or broadcasting of prayers via any media platforms, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.”

The two outlets in their report have not specifically talked about "ban on live broadcast of Taraweeh from the Grand Mosque in Makkah", However, both of them have used the image showing Holy Kaaba inside the Grand Mosque in Makkah.

After the in depth search of internet and site search of the Saudi Press Agency, ummid.com fact check team also found that the Kingdom’s official news agency has not reported anything about the ban on live broadcast as claimed by the two media outlets.

Further verification of the social media posts and “Siasat Daily” and “Middle East Monitor” reports led the Team ummid to social media handles of “insharifain” and “theholymosques” that keep track of the activities at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Masjid an Nabawi in Madinah.

Taking note of the viral posts, “insharifain” and “theholymosques” termed the viral posts as fake.

“Live Broadcast from the Two Holy Mosques during the month of Ramadan will continue on the usual channels.

Live Broadcast from the Two Holy Mosques during the month of Ramadan will continue on the usual channels.

Circulating posts on social media suggesting otherwise are false and should be disregarded

— Inside the Haramain (@insharifain) February 22, 2025

“Circulating posts on social media suggesting otherwise are false and should be disregarded”, the post by “insharifain” read.

It is also to be noted that the use of cameras and photography by pilgrims inside the Makkah Grand Mosque and The Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah have not been banned though are not encouraged. The concerned authorities issue such guidelines regularly, especially before Hajj and beginning of the month of Ramadan every year, though they do not use force to impose the ban order.

However, there is no ban on the live broadcast of Taraweeh prayers, purportedly, from the Two Holy Mosques as claimed.

Conclusion

The fact check analysis of the viral claims that Saudi Arabia has banned live broadcast of Taraweeh prayers, purportedly, from the Two Holy Mosque found them to be misleading and fake.

Meanwhile, the General Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques has published thed detailed schedule of Taraweeh at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and Masjid an Nabawi in Madinah for Ramadan 2025.

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