ARAU, May 13 — Perlis today has created a difference when, for the first time, the Aidilfitri prayer was held in an open area, at Dataran Istiadat, Istana Arau, following the Sunnah (sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad) and reducing the risk of the spread of COVID-19 pandemic compared with holding prayers indoors.
Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, joined the congregation members of the Arau Mosque to perform the Aidilfitri prayer, by following strict adherence to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set by the National Security Council.
Also present were Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, and his children Sharifah Khatreena Nuraniah, Sharifah Farah Adriana and Syed Sirajuddin Areeb Putra.
Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Azlan Man, and state exco members were also in attendance.
Perlis Mufti, Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the prayers were performed by taking into account all rules stipulated under the SOPs, including physical distancing.
“Aidilfitri prayer performed in an open area is appropriate, as mentioned by Abu Said Al-Khudri in the hadith narrated by Bukhari and Muslim, which means that the Prophet went out on AidilFitri and AidilAdha to pray in the open field,” he told reporters when met after the prayer today.
Meanwhile, a member of the mosque congregation, Mohd Luqman Mohd Ehsan, 42, said that he was grateful because this time he had the opportunity to perform the prayer, even with a limited number of congregants.
Another congregation member, Robithoh Hanum Bustamam, 64, said that she was very grateful to be given the opportunity to perform the Aidilfitri prayer, and this also marked the first time in her life to perform prayer at the palace grounds.
