SHAH ALAM – The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has allowed Friday and obligatory prayers in the state to be conducted with limited number of worshippers from last Monday.
JAIS director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said the number allowed to perform the prayers at any one time will be based on Covid-19 developments in the area.
He said for the state mosque and Tengku Ampuan Mosque in Bukit Jelutong, a congregation of 500 people is allowed for Friday prayers and 150 for obligatory prayers.
“For 39 management mosques and 17 institutional mosques, a congregation of 300 members are allowed for Friday prayers and 150 people for daily congregation prayers.
"For mosques and surau permitted to hold Friday prayers in the Kuala Selangor, Sabak Bernam and Hulu Selangor districts, the number of Friday prayers congregants is according to the actual capacity of the main prayer hall, with a physical distancing of 1.5m, while for obligatory prayers, the number is up to 40 worshippers, including the administrators," he said in a statement today.
He added that for mosques and surau permitted to hold Friday prayers in the districts of Klang, Petaling, Kuala Langat, Sepang, Hulu Langat and Gombak, only 40, including the facility administrators, are allowed for Friday and obligatory prayers.
He said all surau, including institutional surau throughout the state, are allowed to have 40 people perform the obligatory prayers.
Shahzihan said in his discussion with Selangor's Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on allowing prayers yesterday, he expressed disappointment that some parties have claimed that mosques and surau in the state have been closed.
He said he was also saddened by the perception of some that the earlier decision to close mosques was akin to preventing Muslims performing their religious obligations.
“In fact, mosques and surau in Selangor continue to be opened in stages based on the current situation of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this matter was not published by the media because there were changes according to local circumstances.
"Therefore, the sultan wants the new permitted opening for the prayers to reach the parishioners and to fully comply with the standard operating procedures set so that mosques and surau do not cause new Covid-19 outbreaks." – Bernama, January 6, 2021
