For Congregation:
As congregation, don’t give excuses to miss the prayer, rather:
1) Wear cardigan to protect yourself from the cold.
2) Use warm water to perform ablution if you want to.
3) Be early to the Masjid to avoid running through the cold weather.
4) Wear hand gloves and socks if need be.
5) Massage your body (chest, hands, legs etc) with body massagers like rub menthol.
6) Drink hot/warm water or tea or coffee before setting out to the Masjid if need be.
7) If putting the forehead and nose on tiled floors or cement plastered floors won’t be convenient due to the coldness of the floor, you can pray using a prayer mat on the floor or put a handkerchief or towel on the ground to lay your forehead and nose while in prostration.
8) If you have a running nose from catarrh, ensure you always move to the Masjid with your hand towel or handkerchief to contain the sneezing.
For Imāms:
1) Don’t read very long chapters to avoid keeping them for a long time on standing position in the Masjid. Moreoso, the Sunnah is to make the prayer light when leading a congregation at all times.
2) The Imām should ensure all measures are taken to make the prayer easy for the congregation.
No one should be allowed to claim strength in the cold weather by switching on fans or air-conditioner.
Doors and Windows may be shut to reduce inflow of the Harmattan breeze (the doors should be shut without keys to avoid preventing other congregation from being locked away from joining the prayer).
3) It’s not bad for the Masjid to have water cooling systems that could warm up water that will be used the congregation for ablution.
