Friday prayers: New ruling made on advice from Selangor Health director

In a post on the Selangor Royal Office official Facebook page today, Istana Alam Shah informed that the new ruling was made based on the latest statistics and data on the spread of COVID-19 in the state.

"Sultan Sharafuddin, at the same time, has called on the congregation to continue to adhere to the standard operating procedures set by the mosque and surau administrators.

"His Highness also wants each congregation to get two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and take the booster dose," the statement read.

Every decision that was made by His Highness would take into account the safety of the people in Selangor because based on the current statistics, the number of COVID-19-related fatalities in the state alone has exceeded 10,000 people.

The Selangor Islamic Religious Department, on Tuesday, announced that it would allow the full use of the main prayer area and other available spaces in all mosques and surau which receive permission to conduct Friday prayers, effective tomorrow, following the consent of Sultan Sharafuddin.

Its director, Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad, said that the Sultan of Selangor also consented to the space between congregants being set at one metre apart.

The new ruling will increase the number of congregants for the obligatory Friday prayers statewide up to 35 per cent, subject to the physical size of the mosques and surau.