Saudi Gazette report

MAKKAH — Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, head of the Presidency of Religious Affairs of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque, has directed that Friday sermons and prayers be shortened during the 2025 Hajj season due to intense heat in Makkah and Madinah.

The decision aims to ease hardship on pilgrims and worshippers, especially the elderly and those in crowded areas such as the mataf (circumambulation area around the Holy Kaaba), upper levels, and courtyards. It also includes reducing the waiting time between the call to prayer and the start of the sermon.

Al-Sudais said the directive reflects the presidency’s responsibility to provide a safe, spiritual worship environment at the Two Holy Mosques, in line with the leadership’s directives.

He added that the move considers the arrival of millions of pilgrims and applies Islamic principles that prioritize relief from hardship and ensuring worshipers’ well-being in extreme conditions.

Sheikh Al-Sudais also called upon pilgrims and visitors to the Two Holy Mosques to diligently fulfill their religious duties, including prayer, zakat, fasting, and Hajj. He encouraged the remembrance of God through recitations of tahleel, tasbeeh, takbeer, and tahmeed during the month of Dhu Al-Hijjah.

Al-Sudais advised all Muslims, particularly those performing Hajj, to seize opportunities that will benefit them in this life and the hereafter, following the guidance of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He emphasized kindness, compassion, and generosity towards visitors and pilgrims as embodiments of noble character and respect for human dignity during this blessed time in this sacred place.