Turkey has closed nationwide mosques for the upcoming Friday prayers and the holy night of Lailat al Miraj (“Miraç Kandili” in Turkish) as part of precautions taken against the novel coronavirus outbreak, Hurriyet Daily News reported.
In a statement, Ali Erbaş, the head of Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), said that mosques will be closed on March 20, for Friday prayers, and March 21, Lailat al Miraj.
Lailat al Miraj, also known as the “Night of Ascension,” is one of the five holy nights in Islam, when Muslims celebrate the ascension of the Prophet Mohammad to heaven.
Erbaş said on March 16 that the country suspended mass prayers in mosques until the risk of coronavirus outbreak is over.
The mosques will be kept open for individual prayers, he had said.
