Aidilfitri prayers to be performed at home in Penang

Muslims in Penang can perform Aidilfitri prayers at their respective homes during the Movement Control Order (MCO) with or without a sermon according to ability and appropriateness, said Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Dr Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor.

Wan Salim, who is also the state Fatwa Committee chairman, said the decision was made during the committee meeting yesterday to set the guidelines for Aidilfitri celebrations and prayers to be held at home involving family members only.

“Family members who have just recovered from COVID-19 or need to be quarantined at home, they are not allowed to attend the prayer (with other family members) but may perform it on their own," he said when contacted here today.

He said the imams, bilal and mosque officials could perform Aidilfitri prayers in mosques or surau subject to the circulars and instructions issued by the Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIPP).

He said the ‘takbir raya’ (calls to glorify Allah) in mosques and surau could only be performed by the imams, bilals and mosque officials using voice recordings.

Wan Salim said the house-to-house ‘takbir raya’ on the eve of raya which had become a practice was not allowed as an effort to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak.

“However, we encourage each family to perform the ‘takbir’ at their respective homes before the Aidilfitri prayers," he said.

As for patients and hospital staff, he said, they could perform the Aidilfitri prayers according to the guidelines set by the Ministry of Health (MOH).