On June 28, Friday, Muzaffar Habib, a Dubai resident, hurried to a mosque in the Zabeel area at 1:20pm from his nearby workplace to participate in the Jum'uah congregational prayers. Aware that he would likely have to pray outdoors, he wore a small scarf on his head. He expressed gratitude for the recent UAE directive limiting the Friday sermon to 10 minutes, which he found particularly beneficial. "The sermon lasted only seven minutes," he told Khaleej Times after the prayers. "This is a significant relief for those of us who frequently rush from work to make it to the mosque on time. Standing in the sun during such intense heat has become intolerable. This summer feels hotter than usual."
The directive from UAE authorities, issued the previous day, requested imams nationwide to keep their sermons and prayers within 10 minutes until October, a measure taken as temperatures exceeded 50 degrees. Jordanian expat Mohammed Ali, who attended the prayers at a Jumeirah mosque, was initially surprised by the brevity of the sermon. "I hadn't heard about the news and was surprised when it ended quickly," he said. "However, I overheard others discussing it. This is a great comfort in this heat and a commendable decision by the UAE government, demonstrating their concern for the people."
Ali, who prayed inside the mosque, noted the discomfort of those who prayed outside, including delivery riders. "It was extremely hot just walking to my car from the mosque, I can't imagine how tough it must be to sit in the sun and pray," he remarked. Typically, sermons last between 10 to 20 minutes, followed by a two-unit prayer, often necessitating outdoor prayers due to mosque capacity. Twelve-year-old Aydin Gayaz, who prayed at the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab mosque, also observed the shorter sermon. "I prayed inside and noticed the khutbah was shorter than usual. The imam recited brief surahs, and the entire sermon and prayer concluded in 10 minutes," he said.
Fridays often see large congregations praying outside mosques across the country. The General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments emphasized that the 10-minute limit aligns with Islamic practices to safeguard community health. Pakistani expat Basha Khan expressed his appreciation for the shorter sermon, having often prayed in the heat. "I prayed at a DIFC mosque, and both the khutbah and prayer were very brief," he said. "Last week was challenging as I stood in the sun and suffered a severe headache. This week, I was relieved by the shorter duration."
