MANAMA/ABU DHABI — Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates are holding absentee funeral prayers for late Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

In Bahrain, the president of the Sunni Endowments Council on Wednesday directed all imams of mosques in the kingdom to perform Salat Al-Ghaib (absentee funeral prayer) for Sheikh Sabah following the Fajr (morning) prayer on Thursday.

The council president and its members extended sincere condolences to the Kuwaiti government and people on the death of their leader, praying to Allah the Almighty to bless him with mercy and provide his family and the Kuwaiti people with patience and consolation.

Funeral prayer in absentia will be offered in all mosques in the UNAE after Asr (afternoon) prayer following the direction of the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The absentee funeral prayer (Salat al-Gha'ib in Arabic) was also performed for the late Kuwaiti emir in all mosques in Qatar after the night (Isha) prayer on Wednesday.