Saudi Arabia bans Iftar in mosques, disallows Imams from collecting donations for Iftar ahead of Ramadan

Riyadh, Feb 28: Ahead of Ramadan this year, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has issued an order banning Iftars in mosques. This came after Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Islamic Affairs shared a statement of instructions for mosque employees to follow during the month of Ramadan. It also restricted imams and muezzins in various regions of the country from collecting financial donations for organizing Iftar feasts for those fasting and others.

“…Imams and muezzins in various regions of the Kingdom not to collect financial donations for Iftar projects for fasting people and others,” the order said.

In addition to banning the collection of donations for Iftars, the Islamic Affairs Ministry of Saudi Arabia also imposed a ban on organising Iftar feasts inside the mosques raising concerns regarding cleanliness.

"Iftar projects should not be held inside mosques due to concerns about cleanliness, so an appropriate place should be prepared in the mosques’ courtyards without the use of temporary rooms, tents, or the like, and that Iftar should be under the imam’s and muezzin’s responsibility, with the obligation of the one who breaks the fast to clean the place immediately after finishing foodt,” the ministry said.

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Furthermore, the Ministry emphasised that cameras in mosques should not be used to record the imam and worshippers during the performance of prayers, saying that this undermines worshippers’ reverence and that prayers should not be broadcast on media of all kinds, including social media.

Notably, Ramadan 2024 is expected to begin on the 11th of March, with the sighting of the moon over Mecca, and conclude on the 9th of April 2024.

It is pertinent to note that since Mohammed Bin Salman was appointed crown prince in June 2017, he has brought several reforms to the country.