SHAH ALAM, Jan 18 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) has allowed the full use of the main prayer area and other available spaces in all mosques and surau which receive permission to conduct Friday prayers, following the consent of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah.
Its director, Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad, said that the Sultan of Selangor also consented to the space between congregants being set at one metre apart.
“Following the latest consent of the Sultan of Selangor, a letter will be issued and distributed by the department to all mosques and surau involved soon, for implementation on Friday Jan 21, 2022,” he said in a statement today.
He said that the new ruling would increase the number of congregants for the obligatory Friday prayers statewide up to 35 per cent, subject to the physical size of the mosques and surau, compared with the previous ruling issued on Nov 1, 2021.
“A total of 427 mosques and 316 surau which received permission to perform the Friday prayers will be involved with this move.
“This new ruling still stipulates that the mosque and surau administrators enforce the standard operating procedures set,” he said.
Mohd Shahzihan said that JAIS hoped that the new ruling would be fully utilised by Muslims, especially the younger generation who have been trying to find a place to perform the Friday prayers.
“It is also reminded that only individuals who have tried but failed to find a spot to perform the Friday prayers will have their Friday prayer obligation lifted.
“This is in line with the view of the Selangor Mufti Department, dated June 13, 2020 and July 22, 2020 which are still relevant until now,” he added.
