SHAH ALAM, July 8 — Selangor will not allow shopping malls to conduct Friday prayers for now after Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj withheld his consent for the proposal, said the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS).
Its chairman Dato’ Salehuddin Saidin said the decision was based on several considerations, including the need to preserve mosques as the primary centres for Friday prayers and prevent a decline in congregational attendance.
“Allowing suraus or musollas in shopping malls to hold Friday prayers would undermine efforts to strengthen and enliven mosques as the primary places of worship for Muslims.
“It could reduce the number of worshippers attending existing mosques and authorised Friday prayer suraus, as Muslims would instead have the option of performing the prayers in shopping mall suraus,” he said in a statement today.
Salehuddin noted that there are 448 mosques and 379 suraus across Selangor authorised to hold Friday prayers, sufficient to cater to the state’s Muslim population.
As such, Friday prayers are more appropriately held at mosques and dedicated suraus rather than in shopping malls, which are primarily associated with commercial, entertainment, and recreational activities, and working Muslims have sufficient break time to attend nearby authorised prayer venues.
He said that MAIS must also consider the appointment of imams, bilals, and other personnel, as well as the management and governance of shopping mall suraus to ensure compliance with established rules and policies.
“If personnel serving at shopping mall suraus authorised for Friday prayers are not appointed by MAIS, it would create challenges in monitoring and supervising the management of these suraus, including ensuring compliance with and uniformity in the Friday sermon prepared by MAIS,” Salehuddin said.
Previously, on Sunday (July 5), Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Zulkifli Hasan encouraged states across Malaysia to introduce Friday prayers at shopping malls following the successful implementation of a similar initiative at several locations in the Federal Territories.
In response, Salehuddin reiterated that matters relating to mosques and suraus fall under state jurisdiction, vested in His Royal Highness as the Head of Islam in Selangor, who holds the prerogative to decide on matters, including approval for Friday prayers at suraus or musollas.
“In addition, the establishment of mosques and suraus, as well as the use of any building as a mosque or surau/musolla, is subject to written approval from MAIS under Section 97 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003.
“Accordingly, in line with the Sultan of Selangor’s prerogative, MAIS has been informed that His Royal Highness has, for the time being, not granted consent for any surau or musolla located in shopping malls in Selangor to be authorised to conduct Friday prayers,” he said.
The Ruler’s decision is in line with Islamic teachings and principles aimed at strengthening the role of mosques as the primary centres of worship for Muslims, as well as the dissemination of knowledge and Islamic outreach.
Salehuddin observed that while there is currently one surau in a shopping mall in Selangor that has been granted permission to conduct Friday prayers, the approval is temporary, due to the lack of a mosque located near the premises.
“However, the temporary approval will be revoked if, in the future, a mosque is built near the shopping mall and is able to accommodate the local Muslim population for Friday prayers,” he said.
