More green zone mosques open for Friday prayers tomorrow

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 ― More mosques and surau, particularly in the green zone in the states in the Peninsula, will be opened to enable the public to perform the Friday and obligatory prayers beginning tomorrow.

The opening of mosques and surau with bigger congregations would be allowed to be implemented in a controlled manner and in stages and by adhering to the standard operating procedures (SOP) of the National Security Council and Ministry of Health to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Among the SOP that must be complied with by every worshipper were performing the ablution (wuduk) at home, bringing own prayer mat, practice social distancing and wearing face masks when attending mosques.

Mosques must conduct monitoring by checking body temperature, providing hand sanitisation and to record attendance by using MySejahtera application or attendance book.

In Shah Alam, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah consented to more mosques in mukims categorised as green zone by the Selangar State Health Department, to be opened for performing Friday prayers and three obligatory prayers beginning tomorrow.

The private secretary of the Sultan of Selangor, Datuk Mohamad Munir Bani said Friday prayers and Subuh, Maghrib and Isyak prayers for mosques in the green zone would be limited to 40 attendees each, not including the mosque’s officers and committee members.

At the same time, His Royal Highness had also agreed to increase the congregation sizes for Friday prayers and three obligatory prayers at 39 selected mosques prior to this.

“For the implementations of the Friday prayers and Subuh, Maghrib and Isyak prayers at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah (state mosque), the congregation size is increased from 40 people to 250 people, excluding mosque’s officers and committee members.

“As for the congregation numbers for another 38 selected mosques, His Royal Highness has consented to allow them to be increased from 40 to 150 people,” he said in a statement, here, today.

Mohamad Munir said all surau in Selangor including those allowed to hold Friday prayer were still closed to the public.

Regarding korban (sacrifice) in conjunction with Aidil Adha celebration, Mohamad Munir said the Sultan of Selangor had commanded that it could only be done at the state mosque, 38 selected mosques and mosques in green zone areas.

In Kota Baru, Kelantan Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIK) president Tan Sri Tengku Mohamad Rizam Tengku Abdul Aziz said the Sultan of Kelantan Sultan Muhammad V had allowed Friday prayer and obligatory prayers and activities in mosques, surau and musollah in Kelantan to be carried out in a controlled manner during the recovery movement control order (RMCO).

“The number of attendees are based of the actual capacities (mosques’ size) after taking into account at least a one-metre social distancing including in the porch and compound.

“Mosques, surau and musolla will only be opened one hour before prayer time and will be closed after the prayers are completed. The doors of the mosques must be closed when number of attendees have reached the maximum capacity,” he said in a statement.

He said mosques, surau and musollah were not allowed to operate in areas under enhanced movement control order (EMCO).

Tengku Mohamad Rizam said religious and community activities could be carried out in mosques and surau, except forbidden ones like feast and gotong-royong while Maghrib and Subuh lectures were permitted if social distancing was complied with.

“The Maghrib lecture must be ended by Isyak and a Subuh talk is only conducted for 15 minutes. Solemnisation ceremonies are allowed in mosques or surau by adhering to social distancing and attended by not more than 20 people at any one time,” he said.

He said a limited space would be opened in mosques, surau and musollah for those stopping by for prayers such as travellers and transportation and delivery services drivers.

Meanwhile, an iconic mosque in the city, Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad, has been opened for obligatory prayers today and Friday prayers tomorrow after it was categorised to be in a Covid-19 yellow zone.

The reopening is in line with the announcement made by the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (Jawi) allowing Friday prayers and congregational prayers in mosques and surau across the Federal Territories, except in red zones, throughout the recovery movement control order (RMCO).

However, the mosque limits only 100 congregants per prayer session and they would have to adhere to the guidelines and standard operating procedures issued by the Ministry of Health, National Security Council and Jawi.

“The doors of the mosque will be opened an hour before the prayers and will be closed during the call for prayers,” according to an announcement by the mosque’s management on its official Facebook today.

Apart from that, foreign citizens and children under 12, congregants showing symptoms and suffering from chronic diseases are not allowed to attend the mosque. ― Bernama