Mosques & Prayer Facilities in Malta 2026

Main mosque: Mariam Al-Batool, Paola

The Mariam Al-Batool Mosque in Paola (sometimes called the Paola Mosque) is Malta's main purpose-built mosque and the centre of Muslim community life on the island. It is located in the south of Malta, in the town of Paola (Raħal Ġdid), close to the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum archaeological site.

The mosque hosts:

• Friday Jumu'ah prayers (main weekly congregational prayer)
• Daily prayers (five daily prayers)
• Ramadan Tarawih prayers in the evenings
• Eid prayers (Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha)
• Community events and Islamic education activities

Paola is accessible from Sliema, Valletta, and other main areas by public bus. The bus network connects Paola to most parts of Malta.

Islamic centres and prayer rooms

Beyond the main mosque, the Muslim community in Malta uses smaller Islamic centres and prayer rooms in various parts of the island. These are typically community-run facilities that provide prayer space and sometimes Arabic and Islamic education.

Key areas where Islamic community facilities are known to operate include:

• Marsa — historical port area with a long-established Arab and Muslim community
• Birkirkara — central Malta, significant Arab and South Asian community
• Msida — near the university, serves the student and professional Muslim community
• Ħamrun — adjacent to Marsa, part of the same southern community cluster

For the current addresses and opening times of these facilities, ask in local community Facebook groups — the Arabic and Muslim communities in Malta maintain active social media groups where this information is shared.

Friday Jumu'ah prayer

Friday congregational prayer (Jumu'ah) is held at the Mariam Al-Batool Mosque in Paola. The timing follows the Islamic prayer calendar and shifts throughout the year with the Dhuhr prayer time.

Malta's labour law requires employers to make reasonable accommodation for religious observance. However, the specifics of getting time off for Friday prayers are typically arranged directly between employee and employer — there is no automatic statutory right to leave work for Friday prayers in Maltese law. Many Muslim workers in Malta use their lunch break or negotiate flexible hours for this purpose.

Ramadan in Malta

The Muslim community in Malta observes Ramadan with Tarawih prayers at the main mosque and community Iftar events. The Arabic grocery shops and halal butchers in Paola and Marsa typically extend their opening hours during Ramadan evenings.

Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and Iftar (breaking fast) times follow the Maltese solar calendar. Malta is at approximately 35°N latitude, so fasting hours during summer Ramadan are long (up to 16–17 hours) and during winter Ramadan are shorter (12–13 hours).

Eid celebrations

Eid Al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) and Eid Al-Adha prayers are held at the main mosque in Paola and sometimes at larger outdoor spaces when the community size requires it. Eid is not a public holiday in Malta — most Muslim workers take the day off using their annual leave entitlement. Some employers in Malta, particularly those with significant numbers of Muslim employees, may make informal accommodations.