CORONAVIRUS | All participants of the tabligh programme at the Sri Petaling Mosque in Kuala Lumpur recently were advised not to attend prayers at mosques or surau in Pahang until they are confirmed free of Covid-19.

Pahang mufti Abdul Rahman Osman said the request was made as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the state after participants in the programme were confirmed positive.

He said the ruling was also guided by the advice of the state Health Department director Dr Bahari Awang Ngah, which was agreed to by Pahang state secretary Sallehuddin Ishak who is also the state disaster committee chairperson.

"People with symptoms linked to Covid-19, especially those who have attended the programme, are asked to perform their prayers at home as they belong to the three categories of ailments permitting against going to the mosque: pain, fear and heavy rain.

"We also hope that the participants of the tabligh programme will perform health screening at the nearest district health centre or hospital to determine their health status," he said when contacted by Bernama here today.

Abdul Rahman said all mosques in Pahang were also asked to postpone programmes involving the public, including lectures and, temporarily, and only those who were healthy should go to the mosques for the five times a day prayers.

To reduce the risk of infection, Abdul Rahman also did not encourage the congregation to shake hands at this time unless the mosque managements could provide hands sanitisers.

"In addition to the instructions to recite the Qunut Nasilah prayers at the dawn and Friday prayers, we also encourage the management of mosques to hold a prayer of intent (solat hajat) seeking to be spared from the disease," he added.

- Bernama