As the holy month of Ramadan enters its 20th day, mosques across the Kingdom will begin conducting midnight prayers known as “Qiyam Al-Layl” at 1 a.m. beginning Tuesday.
“The special prayers are conducted during the last 10 days of Ramadan starting from 1 a.m.,” Allama Mohammed Obaidullah, an imam at the Sheebani Mosque in the Nasseriyah District, told Arab News.
The last 10 days of Ramadan are deemed more significant since the Holy Qur’an was first revealed to mankind through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) on Lailat Al-Qadr (Night of Power or Night of Destiny).
Private establishments have been contracted to maintain mosques throughout the Kingdom to enable worshippers to find a comfortable atmosphere inside the places of worship. These establishment have geared up their staff to be on duty throughout the night to ensure a smooth supply of power and water.
Extensive arrangements have been made across mosques to accommodate the additional number of worshippers during this period. Mosques will be kept open to worshippers throughout the night during the last 10 days of the holy month following a directive from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance.
The imam said mosques are kept open to the public at night for them to recite the holy Qur’an and conduct additional prayers inside mosque premises.
According to the circular, imams have been instructed to keep places of worship tidy and ensure adequate and uninterrupted supplies of power and water during the holy month to meet the requirements of the increased number of Muslims, who perform Taraweeh, which follows the regular Isha prayers and the subsequent Qiyam Al-Layl prayers.
Improvised partitions for women have been built in mosques that do not have separate prayer halls for women.
Sermons at the Friday prayers focused on the significance of Lailat Al-Qadr. Welcoming the day of Lailat Al-Qadr, an imam at a mosque in Malaz district appealed to people to strictly adhere to the teachings of the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during this period.
A maintenance contractor who looks after more than 1,500 mosques in the capital told Arab News that his company instructed the labor force to work in the mosques till late at night during this period. “These workers are expected to keep the worshipping places spick and span, illuminated and ensure the smooth supply of water and power.”
Ten workers keep large Jumma mosques in ship shape, while smaller mosques are manned by two workers. Some of the big mosques in the capital are built and maintained by members of the royal family. Some 5,000 mosques are maintained by the department of mosques at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance.
Qiyam Al-Layl prayers begin Tuesday
