Al-Aqsa to be closed to worship in Ramadan amid virus

11:54, 17.04.2020

The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem will be closed for worship during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan for the first time in its history in an effort to stem the spread of coronavirus, the authority responsible for overseeing the city’s Islamic and Christian holy sites said on Thursday.

The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf (Endowment) Council, a Jordanian-run organization, stressed that the decision was made in accordance with Islamic fatwas and medical recommendations previously announced.

The council announced on March 22 that prayers have been suspended at Al-Aqsa due to coronavirus, as reported by Anadolu News Agency.

Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews call the area the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two Jewish temples in ancient times.

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Al-Aqsa Mosque

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