SINGAPORE — From Saturday (May 8), the number of worshippers allowed at mosques for each congregational prayer session — including the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri prayer — will be reduced to 100 people.

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) on Wednesday said that all mosques here will be offering up to two zones of 50 persons for each session of the daily congregational prayer, Friday prayer as well as the Hari Raya Aidilfitri prayer next week.

The limit of 100 people will also be extended to the additional prayer sessions (for tarawih and qiyam) conducted during the ongoing holy month of Ramadan.

Muis said that it will retain the existing bookings made by the congregants within zones one and two at the mosques, while those made for the other zones will be automatically voided.

On Tuesday, the Government announced a range of new restrictions in response to an increase in the number of community transmissions of Covid-19, including a requirement for pre-event testing for worship services with more than 100 people, capped at 250 people.

“Muis will study the feasibility of implementing the pre-event testing procedures at our mosques, given the cost and operational considerations involved, to allow for larger congregational prayers (that is, up to 250 spaces),” the Muis statement said.

In the meantime, from May 8, Muis will be imposing the cap of 100.

The religious authority added that congregants may check the validity of their mosque bookings online. 

Spaces for female congregants will continue to be offered “at some mosques, bearing in mind the reduced space limits”.

OTHER NON-WORSHIP SERVICES

Muis said that the weekly in-person classes for children, as well as lectures and lessons in mosques will be temporarily suspended and shifted to online and home-based learning mode from Saturday.

In-person marriage solemnisation and funeral prayer services will be allowed to continue subject to the Ministry of Health’s revised guidelines.

Selected mosques will also continue to offer zakat (almsgiving) payment services for the remaining days of Ramadan, but only on an appointment basis, Muis said.

However, with the ongoing risk of Covid-19 in the community, it asked the public to fulfil their zakat obligation online as well as to continue donating to mosques electronically.

Mr Esa Masood, Muis’ chief executive, said that the religious body seeks the “support and understanding of congregants who are inconvenienced by these changes”.

“We have made important sacrifices last year, and hope that these further sacrifices will go a long way in protecting the community and our loved ones from the virus,” Mr Esa said.

“We seek the support and understanding of congregants visiting the mosque to continue to abide by the necessary measures and give your full support to our mosques' staff and volunteers, who have been working dedicatedly to keep our mosques safe.”