KUANTAN: The Pahang government today announced several relaxations on religious activities to be held at mosques and surau, including tazkirah (religious lecture) and other educational gatherings.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail said if previously only Maghrib and Subuh lectures were allowed, now it has been expanded to include sessions before Dhuha and Friday prayers as well Quran and Fardu Ain calsses.

Apart from that, also allowed are the Tafaqquh Fid-din classes organised by the Pahang Foundation in collaboration with the Pahang Islamic Religious Department, recitation of Yaasin and tahlil as well as meals can be served after lectures and educational gatherings.

"The move has been approved by the Regent of Pahang Tengku Hassanal Ibrahim Alam Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and is effective today until further notice, depending on the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic," he said in a statement today.

He added that the relaxation also covers number of attendees at the marriage ceremony at the mosque according to the space set compared with only 20 people allowed previously, apart from children aged seven and above are also allowed to perform Friday prayers and daily obligatory prayers.

Wan Rosdy added that other matters related to the existing standard operating procedures (SOP) such as wearing face masks, physical distancing and bringing one's own prayer mat, should continue to be practiced.

"Hopefully, with these relaxations, we can all perform worship more comfortably, further enlivening our mosques and surau," he said.

-- BERNAMA