DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has shortened Friday sermons at mosques to protect worshippers from severe heat, amid rising summer temperatures linked to climate change.

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs, in a statement on Thursday, ordered preachers to limit Friday sermons to 10 minutes from June to October, when temperatures cool.

The Friday sermons usually last for 20 minutes but can run even longer, with large crowds gathering outside mosques at midday.

The decision was aimed at ensuring “the safety of worshippers... especially during the summer months”, the statement said.

It coincides with UAE authorities’ efforts to avoid heat strokes and other complications as temperatures approach 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in parts of the country.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2024