Pahang reaffirms Sultan’s decree, says Friday prayers should remain at mosques, surau after mall proposal

KUANTAN, July 9 — The Pahang State Mufti Department and the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) have reaffirmed the decree of the Sultan of Pahang, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, to continue strengthening and elevating the role of mosques and suraus in the state.

Pahang Mufti Prof Datuk Dr Asmadi Mohamed Naim said Al-Sultan Abdullah had taken note of proposals to establish Friday prayer facilities in shopping malls nationwide.

He said Friday prayers in Pahang should continue to be performed at mosques and suraus authorised to conduct Friday prayers (SKJ).

“His Royal Highness decreed that MUIP is the authority representing the Sultan of Pahang as the custodian of mosques and suraus, which fall under the state list as provided for under the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Asmadi said the Sultan had also been informed that the planning and distribution of mosques in Pahang had taken into account the needs of local communities, with existing mosques and authorised Friday prayer suraus better placed to accommodate congregants.

Among them are the Sultan Ahmad 1 State Mosque in Kuantan, the Tepian Putra Mosque, the soon-to-be-opened Bandaraya Mosque and Al-Shafie Mosque in Kota SAS.

He added that, under the Syafi’i school of thought, Friday prayers must fulfil several conditions, including being performed during the Zohor period, attended by at least 40 congregants, preceded by two sermons and held at a designated venue without overlapping congregations in nearby areas.

Last Sunday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Zulkifli Hasan welcomed states’ efforts to introduce Friday prayers in shopping malls following positive feedback from several locations in the Federal Territories. — Bernama