The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has not granted approval for surau or musolla located inside shopping malls across the state to hold Friday prayers for the time being.
In a statement on Wednesday, Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) Chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin said the decision was made in line with the Sultan’s prerogative powers over the administration of Islamic affairs in Selangor.
Salehuddin explained that matters involving mosques and surau fall under the jurisdiction of the state government under the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution. He added that the establishment of mosques, surau or the use of any building as a place of worship also requires written approval from MAIS under Section 97 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003.
According to him, the decision was reached after considering several factors, particularly the need to preserve the role of mosques as the primary centres of worship for Muslims. Allowing shopping mall surau to conduct Friday prayers, he said, could reduce attendance at existing mosques and approved Friday prayer surau by giving worshippers alternative venues.
He revealed that Selangor currently has 448 mosques and 379 surau authorised to conduct Friday prayers, a number that MAIS believes is sufficient to meet the needs of the state’s Muslim community. Most shopping centres, he added, are already located near existing mosques or Friday prayer surau, making it convenient for worshippers to perform their prayers.
Salehuddin also said Friday prayers are more appropriately held at mosques and surau purpose-built for worship rather than facilities inside shopping malls, which primarily serve commercial, entertainment and recreational purposes. He noted that MAIS must also consider the appointment of imams, bilals and other mosque officials, as well as governance and oversight, before granting any such approval.
“If religious officials are not appointed by MAIS, it would be difficult to monitor the management of the surau and ensure Friday sermons remain consistent with those prepared by MAIS,” he said.
He disclosed that one shopping mall surau in Selangor is currently permitted to hold Friday prayers, but stressed that the approval is only temporary because there is no nearby mosque. The permission will be withdrawn once a mosque is built nearby with sufficient capacity to serve the local Muslim population.
Salehuddin also urged Muslims in Selangor to continue enlivening mosques and surau as centres for worship, religious education, dakwah and community unity.
Earlier, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan welcomed efforts by states across Malaysia to introduce Friday prayers at shopping malls, following positive public response to similar initiatives at several locations in the Federal Territories. He said the programme is currently being implemented there through cooperation between the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, both of which have jurisdiction over religious administration in the territory.
