The first day of Eid always begins with an early morning prayer. This year, that prayer will be held at 5:24am on Sunday, August 19, 2012, Awqaf has announced.

Prayers will be held in some 300 mosques and open grounds in neighborhoods across Doha, and elsewhere in the country. Although a specific list of those locations hasn’t been released, most large mosques, such as the Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab Grand Mosque, are expected to offer the service.

According to last year’s Gulf Times report, popular locations include: 

Hamad Ali Al Saada mosque in Gharaffa, Al Furqan Middle School in Luqta, Old Rayyan prayer ground opposite Saad Ibn Obaidan mosque, Industrial Area open ground adjacent to Al Attiyah mosque, Barwa mosque at Abu Hamour, Al Saad Sports Club, Hamad Hospital mosque, Rumailah Hospital mosque, Doha Stadium in Old Ghanim area, Al Saal mosque in Mamoura, Arab Sports Club in Hilal, Barwa Village mosque, Wakrah, Imam Muslim mosque in Najma, prayer ground near Muneera bint Sultan mosque, Qatar Sports Club -Westbay, open ground in Al Khor – zone 16 and open ground on Al Khor Corniche.

In addition to mosques that have women’s areas, Awqaf says 21 Eid prayer grounds will include places reserved for women. No specifics were offered, but last year’s Gulf Times story said women’s areas were included at grounds at Al Nasr, Bin Omran, New Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Wakrah Sports Club and the open ground near Muneera bint Sultan mosque in West Bay.

Credit: Photo of men praying courtesy of U.S. Embassy Jakarta, Indonesia