UAE unifies Friday sermon, prayer timing across all mosques

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has unified Friday prayers and sermons timings across the country.

Meanwhile, the Friday Khutbah (sermon) and Salah will be held at 12:45 pm in all mosques across the country, said the UAE General Authority for Islamic Affairs in Abu Dhabi.

The sermon and the prayer would both take place at the same time in what will be a unified system across the country, says the announcement, which takes effect on 2 January 2026.

Friday prayers used to be offered at around 1:30 pm in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while they would start about half an hour earlier (12:30pm) in Sharjah and the northern emirates.

The government has now imposed a single mediated time for everyone.