GEORGE TOWN, Jan 27 — Friday prayer and the daily obligatory prayers have been allowed to be performed at all mosques and surau in Penang, but with only a certain number of congregation allowed, effective today.
Penang Islamic Religious Council (MAINPP) president Datuk Ahmad Zakiyuddin Abdul Rahman said the council held a special meeting yesterday and set a new standard operating procedure (SOP) to be observed at the Muslim houses of worship during the movement control order (MCO).
"Obligatory prayers at all mosques and surau in the state are allowed with a maximum of 15 people, while for Friday prayers, 12 to 45 people comprising Malaysians, aged between 15 and 70, and include the committee members of the respective mosque and surau,” he said.
For funeral prayer, involving death that is not due to Covid-19, held at mosques or surau, he said, it will be allowed to be performed by up to 20 people only.
However, visiting the grave after the burial is not allowed, he said in a statement today.
MAINPP, he said, had also agreed to allow mosques and surau to provide prayer space for the convenience of travellers, including e-hailing workers and delivery riders, to perform their prayer.
Ahmad Zakiyuddin ,who is also the Deputy Chief Minister 1, said the call to prayer in the mosque would be replaced with sollu fi buyutikum. (pray in your house).
Apart from that, he said, reading of the yasin and tahlil will be allowed at the mosque and surau, but the activity should not involve more than 15 people and confined to only the mosque or surau officials and committee members, and to be conducted only after the obligatory prayers.
Other than that, no activities are allowed at mosques and sureau, he added.
Meanwhile, he said for the marriage solemnisation ceremony, it can be held at the respective district religious office, but with only up to 10 people present.
"Instructions on the holding of activities at mosques and surau will be issued from time to time in subject to the current development of the Covid-19 situation, as well as on the advice of the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the National Security Council,” he added. — Bernama
