Ajman to fix AC in mosques before Ramadan

Every mosque in Ajman will have its air conditioners repaired to cope with the summer before Ramadan.

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AJMAN // Every mosque in Ajman will have its air conditioners repaired to cope with the summer heat before Ramadan starts, a senior official has said. The Ajman Islamic Affairs Department has hired three companies in the emirate to carry out the work, said Sheikh Obeid al Zaabi, its director. He did not say how much would be spent. "We are aware that this Ramadan is coming in the hottest month of the year and we want the worshippers to have a good stay in the mosque for their spiritual work," he said.

The move was welcomed by those who felt that conditions inside the mosques were curtailing their devotions. Eissa al Badri, a 35-year-old Iraqi who lives in the Rashidiya area, used to stay in his mosque reciting the Quran after prayers. But since the summer started, he has left immediately after the prayers. "You can hear the sound of ACs and it's evident they are on but you are still sweating," he said. "It's even worse on Fridays, when more people come for prayers."

Two new mosques will open during Ramadan to accommodate the expected increase in numbers of the faithful at prayers, Mr al Zaabi said. One of the new mosques, located near the Gulf Medical Hospital, will provide English-language sermons on Fridays to 400 worshipers. The other mosque, with space for 450 people, is to open today on the Emirates Road. @Email:ykakande@thenational.ae