GEORGE TOWN – Friday and daily obligatory prayers are allowed to be performed at all mosques and surau in Penang in limited congregation sizes, effective today.
Penang Islamic Religious Council 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, (the SOP) is 12 to 45 people comprising Malaysians aged between 15 and 70, including committee members of the respective mosques and surau,” he said in a statement today.
For funeral prayers involving death not due to Covid-19 that are held at mosques or surau, he said only 20 people are allowed to be in attendance, but visiting graves post-burial is not allowed.
The council also agreed to allow mosques and surau to provide spaces for the convenience of travellers, including e-hailing workers and delivery riders, to perform prayers.
Zakiyuddin, who is also deputy chief minister 1, said the call to prayer in mosques will 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 mosques and surau, but the activity should not involve more than 15 people, must be restricted to only mosque or surau officials and committee members, and be conducted only after obligatory prayers.
Other than that, no activities are allowed at these houses of worship, he added.
Meanwhile, marriage solemnisation ceremonies can be held at district religious offices, but each should have only up to 10 people present.
“Instructions on holding activities at mosques and surau will be issued from time to time, subject to current developments in the Covid-19 situation, as well as on the advice of the Health Ministry and National Security Council,” he added. – Bernama, January 27, 2021
