Tayamum not required to be performed on COVID-19 patients' body - Selangor Mufti

KLANG: Tayamum or dry ritual purification using purified sand or dust is not required to be performed on the remains of Muslim COVID-19 patients in Selangor if it puts those in charge of the funeral process at risk of infection, said State Mufti Datuk Dr Anhar Ophir.

He said the matter was decided in the Selangor State Fatwa Committee special meeting on Aug 7 which also obtained the consent of the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on Aug 11.

"If the Ministry of Health (MOH) forensic division states that there is risk of infection if the bathing ritual or tayamum is performed, then just shroud the body and perform the funeral prayers before it is buried," he said.

He said this to reporters after the handing over ceremony of personal protection equipment (PPE) sets to be used by the COVID-19 funeral management teams in Selangor at Masjid Jamek Ar-Rahimiah today.

Anhar however, said the decision on the infection risk will be determined by the forensic department at hospitals in Selangor.

At the ceremony, he witnessed the handing over of 7,000 PPE sets worth RM 385,000 from the Selangor Zakat Board (LZS) to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS).

LZS was represented by its chief executive officer Saipolyazan M Yusop while JAIS director Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad received the contribution on behalf of the department.

-- BERNAMA