Image courtesy: WAM/ For illustrative purposes
All mosques across the UAE will hold Friday sermons and prayers at 12.45pm from Friday, January 2, 2026, under a unified national schedule announced by the General Authority of Islamic Affairs, Endowments and Zakat.
The move standardises worship times across the federation, introducing a single prayer schedule for all emirates and mosques and replacing previously varied local practices.
Worshippers have been urged to arrive early to attend the full sermon before prayer.
Officials said the change is intended to ensure consistent religious guidance and more orderly congregational worship nationwide.
Fixed prayer time to help citizens and residents
A fixed sermon and prayer time is also expected to help families, workers and students plan their Fridays more easily in a country with multiple emirates and thousands of mosques.
The adjustment aligns with the designation of 2026 as the “Year of the Family”, with authorities noting that the revised timing supports shared family time, balanced routines and greater flexibility on Fridays.
Islamic scholars have said that holding Friday prayer at 12.45pm falls within the permissible timeframe between the midday (Dhuhr) and afternoon (Asr) prayers under Islamic jurisprudence.
The unified timing replaces earlier arrangements under which Friday prayer times could differ slightly between emirates and follows broader government efforts in recent years to streamline public schedules and services across the UAE.
