SHAH ALAM, July 10 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) has clarified that permission to conduct Friday prayers at the Musala IOI City Mall, Putrajaya, was granted from September 6, 2024, following a decision by the Selangor State Mosque and Surau Governance Committee (JATUMS) and with the consent of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.

MAIS chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin said the approval was granted after an assessment found that the premises housed a large number of male Muslim workers and received a high number of Muslim visitors, making it difficult for them to perform Friday prayers at nearby mosques.

“The nearest mosques to the premises are Masjid Al-Mustaqim Kampung Dato’ Abu Bakar Baginda, located about 7.6 kilometres away, and Masjid Uniten, Kajang, which is about 7.7 kilometres away.

“Furthermore, both mosques are unable to accommodate the large number of congregants attending Friday prayers,” he said in a statement today.

He reiterated that the permission to conduct Friday prayers at the Musala IOI City Mall is temporary and will end once a new mosque near the premises has been completed and is capable of accommodating the needs of congregants, including workers in the area.

Salehuddin said MAIS, together with the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS), would continue to ensure that the management and implementation of Friday prayers in the state are carried out in an orderly manner, in accordance with Islamic law and legal provisions, to safeguard the interests of Muslims.

On Tuesday, he said in a statement that Sultan Sharafuddin had not given consent for any surau or musala at shopping centres in the state to be allowed to conduct Friday prayers for the time being.

He said that although there was currently one surau or musala at a shopping centre in Selangor that had been permitted to conduct Friday prayers, the approval was temporary as there was no mosque near the premises. — Bernama