Non-citizens, children not allowed to pray at mosques, surau says Pahang religious dept

KUANTAN, Jan 16 — Foreign nationals and children under age 12 years are not allowed to perform the Friday and obligatory prayers in mosques and surau during the implementation of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) in Pahang.

The Pahang Islamic Religious Department (JAIP), in a media statement here today, nevertheless, said it was mandatory for those who could not perform the Friday prayer in mosques or surau permitted to hold the prayer, to replace it with the Zohor prayer.

‘’The implementation of the Friday prayer is with the mandatory 40 worshippers or more based on the capacity of the prayer area and the congregation members is decided via walk in.

‘’It is compulsory for them to scan their temperatures and record their presence using the MySejahtera application or PahangGo.

“The worshippers must bring their own prayer mats, comply with the physical distancing and wear face masks including when performing the prayers.

‘’Meanwhile, the imam must pick brief verses (from chapters of the Quran) and should shorten the ‘wirid’ (repeated citations from the Quran) and doa after prayers,’’ said the statement.

Worshippers were also not allowed to shift places when performing non-obligatory (sunat) prayers after the Magrib prayer until the Isyak prayer or when following religious talks.

The talks were only allowed after the Subuh prayer and between Maghrib and Isyak prayers while the preachers should be from within the state.

‘’Refreshments after the talks are not allowed. The management of the mosque or surau must be firm in implementing the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and sanitise the prayer area, place of ablution and toilets as frequently as possible,’’ said the statement.

JAIP also banned marriage solemnisation ceremonies at mosques and surau during the CMCO, which was effective on Wednesday (January 13) until January 26, to check COVID-19.

For handling of remains of the dead, JAIP said it could be done in a special room or area with the number of handlers based on the space available taking into account physical distancing at any one time and wearing face masks.

‘’Prayer for the deceased can be performed in the prayer area and only the reading of brief ‘talkin’ (prayers read at burials) and ‘tahlil’ (doa involving the praise of allah) are allowed after the burial,’’ said the statement. — Bernama