There Has Been A Lot Of Speculation On Whether Shops Will Stay Open In Saudi Arabia During Prayers Or Not

Over the years there have been way too many conversations about whether or not the law to close shops during prayer times will be changed or not.

And some recent conversations gave the impression that the law was going to change but this has been clarified to be false

Here is what happened: a bid to boost sales, Saudi Arabia recently approved a new measure that gives shops the option to stay open 24 hours a day.

This got people thinking that this means they can stay open during prayer times.

However an official statement has clarified that this is not the case

Shops would still be obliged to close during Muslim prayers, as per a Saudi law that states malls, restaurants, cafés, gas stations, and even hospitals must close during the call for adhan and throughout prayer time as well.

As for businesses who wish to operate around the clock (except, of course, during prayer hours), a fee must be paid to do so.

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs will decide on the fees in the coming days.