GEORGE TOWN – Penang will allow tarawih and Aidilfitri prayers to be performed in areas placed under the movement control order (MCO) and conditional movement control order (CMCO), based on mosques and surau capacity, from today.
Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department director Mohd Zakuan Zakaria said all religious activities including Friday prayers are also allowed in mosques and surau in MCO and CMCO areas.
“For Aidilfitri prayers, the imam must recite a short surah or verse during the prayer and the total duration of the prayer including takbir, prayer, sermon should be over by 45 minutes.
“Guest imams and khatib are not allowed to lead the prayers and deliver Aidilfitri sermons. Only imams appointed by the Penang Islamic Religious Council are allowed to do so and the text of the sermon will be provided by the department,” he said in a statement today.
Apart from that, takbir for Aidilfitri using an external loudspeaker is allowed but only from Maghrib prayer onwards on the last night of Ramadan. The practice of performing takbir from house to house is not allowed, he said.
He said the feast after the Aidilfitri prayers and open houses are not allowed. However, if mosques or surau wanted to provide food, it should be distributed in packages only.
Mosques and surau are also required to provide special prayer areas for travellers for the convenience of e-hailing services in MCO areas.
“These travellers must bring their own prayer mats and telekung. The traveller’s prayer area will only open for use for one hour after the obligatory prayer time,” he said. – Bernama, May 10, 2021
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