Ramadan 2020: Emirates Fatwa Council says do taraweeh, Eid al Fitr prayers at home if pandemic persists

The Emirates Fatwa Council of the United Arab Emirates passed five fatawa related to Ramadan and fasting, state news agency WAM reported on Sunday (Apr 19).

As the COVID-19 pandemic persists, the scholars said Ramadan taraweeh prayers should be performed either individually or as a family at home. UAE has for some weeks closed its mosques in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.  

The Eid al Fitr prayer should also be performed at home, said the Council, should the current pandemic situation persist at the end of Ramadan. The prayer can be done without a sermon, according to the Council’s fatwa.

Zakat and zakat al fitr can be paid early given the current pandemic situation.

For the month of Ramadan, frontline medical workers are permitted to not fast while on duty if they are concerned about their health. Healthy persons are obliged to fast but COVID-19 patients do not have to when symptoms surface or if they are told not to fast by their physicians.

Friday prayers will continue to be halted as mosques remain shut. Worshippers are urged to pray the obligatory dhuhr prayer in place of the congregational Friday prayer.

Ramadan will start towards the end of this week contingent on the sighting of the crescent moon, most likely on Thursday or Friday. 

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