Hamdan bin Mohammed issues a decision regulating prayer places in the Emirate of Dubai

His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Dubai, issued Council Resolution No. 31 of 2021 regarding the organization of prayer rooms in the Emirate of Dubai, with the aim of organizing them in a way that achieves the desired goals and ensures the proper conduct of religious rites in them. , as well as adherence to the legislation regulating religious activities licensed by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities inside charitable institutions, as the decision applies to all existing chapels or to be erected in the emirate, including those located within special development zones and free zones, including the Dubai International Financial Center.

The decision specified the functions of the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai, including: licensing public chapels belonging to governmental and non-governmental agencies and designated for use by all, in accordance with the rules, conditions and procedures approved by a decision issued by the Director-General of the Department. In coordination with the competent authorities in the Emirate, granting the necessary permits to workers in the chapels, and monitoring the cleanliness, maintenance, equipment and needs of the public prayer hall, as well as setting the times for the call to prayer and the establishment of prayer in public chapels, the mechanism for setting internal and external loudspeakers, and the terms and conditions of their use.

The department is also responsible for controlling and supervising the public prayer hall and its employees, evaluating their performance, issuing regulations and instructions for organizing lessons, lectures and religious activities in the prayer hall, and preparing unified topics for Friday sermons, holidays and religious events that take place in public chapels.

According to the decision, it is prohibited for any person to build or allocate places as public chapels, or to make any modifications or additions to them or maintain them, before obtaining a prior license to do so from the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, and the license is issued in coordination with the competent authorities in the emirate, and in accordance with the terms and controls The ones approved by the Director General of the Department pursuant to a decision issued by him in this regard. It is permissible to establish private chapels in the Emirate, which belong to governmental and non-governmental entities, and which are not designated for all, provided that the prior approval of the Department is obtained.

The decision included a number of activities to be carried out in chapels that require prior permission from the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, namely: collecting donations, permitting their collection or announcing them, holding Friday or Eid prayers, eclipses, and conducting any religious or charitable activity or Cultural or workshops for memorizing the Noble Qur’an, establishing reading, audio or video libraries, distributing books, leaflets, CDs, audio and video recordings, etc., or pasting advertisements and publications, reviving religious or social events, organizing meetings, and setting up breakfast and banquet tables.

Prohibited acts


and the prohibition of the decision to perform a number of acts inside the prayer hall, which are: begging, interfering in the affairs of the call to prayer or prayer, or authorized activities or events, causing damage to the worshiper or any of its assets, possessions or accessories, exploiting the prayer area in ways other than those prescribed by Shariah, and using the sound legally. Contrary to the controls established by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in this regard, and the practice of any activity that would prejudice the security or sanctity of the prayer place.

The donor’s obligations The


decision obligated the donor, who is the person responsible for managing and operating the prayer area and taking care of its affairs, to provide the prayer’s needs, and bear the costs of managing and supervising its affairs, its maintenance, cleanliness and security, in accordance with the terms and specifications approved by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, and placing a sign on the front of the prayer hall stating that the prayer is for the purpose of the prayer. Public or private prayer rooms, according to the classification approved by the department in this regard, and not to close, remove, replace or change the purpose of using the prayer hall except with the prior written approval of the department, and appoint a coordinator with the department and provide his data and contact numbers with him.

The donor is also obligated, in accordance with the decision, not to appoint or assign any person to work in the public prayer hall on a permanent or temporary basis, with or without pay, except after obtaining the prior approval of the department for this. He shall be of good conduct, not affiliated with any illegal group, or engage in any prohibited political or organizational activity, pass the personal interview and tests decided by the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, and be medically fit.

Among the obligations of the donor in accordance with the decision, are to bear the rights, salaries and financial entitlements of all workers in the public chapel, to notify the department in the event of termination of services or assignment of any of the workers in the public chapel, and to provide health insurance for its workers and their eligible family members, in accordance with the health insurance legislation in force in The emirate, as well as bearing the fees for issuing work visas to them, concluding work contracts for all workers in the public chapel in accordance with the legislation in force, providing the department with a copy of it, terminating the work contracts of any of the workers in the public chapel, at the request of the department, and ensuring the continuation of prayer in the public chapels in its appointments and without interruption, and not to use it for anything other than the purpose for which it was intended.

According to the decision, anyone who violates the provisions of this decision and the decisions issued according to it shall be punished with a written warning or the closure of the prayer hall, without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated in any other decision.

Grievance and Reconciliation of Situation


The resolution stipulated that any interested party may file a written grievance to the Director General of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department of the decisions, procedures and measures taken against him pursuant to this resolution, within thirty days from the date of the decision, procedure or measure complained of, and this grievance is decided upon. Within thirty days from the date of its submission by a committee formed by the director general of the department for this purpose, and the decision issued in this grievance shall be considered final.

The resolution obligated all donors supervising chapels existing in the Emirate of Dubai at the time of this decision to reconcile their conditions in accordance with its provisions, within six months from the date of its implementation, and the decision authorized the director general of the department to extend this period for a similar period in cases that require it.

The provisions of this decision do not prejudice the powers of the competent authorities in Dubai, including the authorities supervising special development zones and free zones, including the Dubai International Financial Centre, with regard to supervision, control and licensing of construction works in accordance with the legislation in force therein in this regard, provided that Any text in any other resolution shall be canceled to the extent that it contradicts its provisions, and it shall be published in the Official Gazette, and shall be enforced from the date of its publication.

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