Selangor sultan says no Friday prayers at malls for now

 Selangor Islamic religious council says the proposal could lead to a decline in the number of congregants at mosques and suraus authorised to hold Friday prayers.

The Selangor Islamic religious council said Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah’s decree reinforces the role of mosques as the primary centres of worship for Muslims. (Selangor Tourism pic)

SHAH ALAM:

Selangor ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has not granted consent for suraus and prayer halls in shopping malls across the state to hold Friday prayers for now, the Selangor Islamic religious council (Mais) said.

MAIS chairman Salehuddin Saidin said such a move could lead to a decline in the number of congregants at mosques and suraus authorised to hold Friday prayers, and undermine efforts to preserve and strengthen the role of mosques as the primary centres of worship for Muslims.

He added that the sultan’s decree aligns with Islamic teachings and the promotion of Islamic values by reinforcing the role of mosques as the primary places of worship for Muslims, while serving as centres for religious education and propagation.

“At present, there are 448 mosques and 379 suraus in Selangor that have been authorised to conduct Friday prayers. This indicates that the existing mosques and suraus are sufficient to accommodate the state’s Muslim population.

“In addition, there are also mosques and suraus located near shopping malls, making it convenient for the public to perform Friday prayers,” he said in a statement.

Salehuddin said Mais must also take into consideration the appointment of imams, bilals and other personnel, as well as the management and governance of such facilities to ensure compliance with the regulations and policies set by the council, if suraus and prayer halls in Selangor shopping malls are allowed to hold Friday prayers.

“If the personnel serving suraus authorised to conduct Friday prayers in shopping malls are not appointed by Mais, it would create difficulties in monitoring and overseeing the management of the suraus or musolla, including ensuring compliance with and uniformity in the Friday sermon prepared by Mais,” he said.

Salehuddin said although one surau at a shopping mall in Selangor had been granted permission to hold Friday prayers, the approval was temporary because there was no mosque located near the premises.

“The temporary approval will be withdrawn if a mosque is built near the shopping mall in the future and is able to accommodate the local Muslim community for Friday prayers,” he said.

“Mais calls on all Muslims in Selangor to continue enlivening mosques and suraus so that they can serve as centres of unity for the Muslim community,” he said.

Salehuddin said Mais had noted the federal government’s position, as expressed by religious affairs minister Zulkifli Hasan, regarding the proposal to establish suraus authorised to conduct Friday prayers at shopping malls nationwide.

Mais stressed that matters relating to mosques, suraus, and prayer halls fall under the jurisdiction of the states in accordance with the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

“In Selangor, the Sultan of Selangor, as the head of Islam, has the prerogative to make decisions on the administration of Islamic affairs, including granting approval for suraus or musolla to conduct Friday prayers,” he said.

He added that the establishment of mosques and suraus, as well as the use of any building as a mosque, surau or musolla, is subject to the prior written approval of Mais under Section 97 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003. - FMT