Those that gathered to offer Tahajjud, a non-mandatory prayer offered at night, at the Ibrahimi Mosque in capital city Malé were forced to leave due to the absence of an Imam, who customarily leads salaat congregations.

Other mosques licensed to conduct Tahajjud prayers had done so on Friday night, with recitations of the Quran echoing from mosques all over the city, on occasion of the last ten days of Ramadan – considered to be highly auspicious.

Several dozens of men and women gathered at the mosque waited more than an hour before most of them decided to leave.

The Ibrahimi Mosque is highly popular.