PETALING JAYA: All religious activities at mosques - including Friday prayer - will be suspended for 10 days following a decree by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong on the matter, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri (pic).

“All activities at mosques and surau including Friday prayers and congregational prayers are to be suspended, starting March 17 to 26.

All mosque and surau committees are advised to conduct cleaning and sanitising as a precautionary measure, ” he said in a statement Monday.

Zulkifli said that the 10-day period was subject to the advice of the Health Ministry.

In the event of death due to Covid-19, he said that the handling of the deceased’s body will be accorded certain allowances.

“The body can be handled via tayammum (dry ritual purification) on the surface of the body bag or wrap that covers the body, ” he said, adding that this was in accordance with a previous decision made by the Muzakarah Jawatankuasa Fatwa (Fatwa Committee) in 2015.

He also said that both matters are subject to the purview of the relevant Islamic bodies in each state.

“With the royal decree, the execution of both matters are applicable to the Federal Territories, ” he added.