More prayer spaces for Muslims worshippers at 19 mosques from 7 October
SINGAPORE — From next Wednesday (7 October), 19 mosques in Singapore will begin offering 50 additional prayer spaces for Muslim worshippers amid their premises.
In a media release on Wednesday (30 September), the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) said that other religious activities – such as madrasah classes and face-to-face marriage counselling sessions – will also resume progressively at the mosques.
As of October, Muis is able to offer 15,225 spaces for weekly Friday prayers at 64 mosques. It is aiming to eventually increase such spaces to 30,000 slots every week. Selected mosques will soon be piloting plans to accommodate up to 250 congregants across five designated zones of worship in their premises.
To date, about 85,000 congregants have attended Friday prayers since its resumption after the COVID-19 circuit-breaker period.
The list of mosques to increase slots for daily congregational prayers from 50 to 100 worshippers from Wednesday are as follows:
100 people for five daily prayers: Masjid Al-Istighfar, Masjid Darul Ghufran, Masjid Assyafaah, Masjid Darul Makmur, Masjid Angullia, Masjid Sultan, Masjid Al-Khair, Masjid Al-Mukminin, Masjid Ar-Raudhah, Masjid Assyakirin, Masjid Hasanah, Masjid Maarof.
100 people for four daily prayers (Zuhur, Asar, Maghrib, Isyak): Masjid Al-Falah.
100 people for three daily prayers (Subuh, Maghrib, Isyak): Masjid Al-Islah, Masjid Al-Mawaddah, Masjid An-Nur, Masjid Yusof Ishak, Masjid Al-Iman.
100 people for two daily prayers (Maghrib, Isyak): Masjid Alkaff Kampung Melayu.
Resuming other religious activities in mosques
Mosques will also progressively resume other religious services:
Part-time aLIVE madrasah classes will recommence progressively, with some mosques piloting face-to-face classes from mid-October.
In-person marriage solemnisation at mosques have been allowed to resume since 13 June, while jenazah prayer services have resumed since 14 September.
Face-to-face marriage counselling sessions for BersamaMu programmes and social development services have been allowed to resume gradually.
Mosques will organise limited hybrid live-online Maulid (Prophet’s Birthday) celebrations.
From 16 October, Friday prayer timings will be adjusted earlier, in view of Zuhur timing moving earlier towards the later part of the year. The new timings are: 12.45pm to 1.15pm (Session One), 1.45pm to 2.15pm (Session Two) and 2.45pm to 3.15pm (Session Three).
Those who are unable to attain a slot for Friday prayers are given the flexibility to replace Friday prayers with Zuhur prayers, and are encouraged to tune to SalamSG TV and other online platforms to listen to Friday sermons.
Muis said that, in view of the improving COVID-19 situation, seniors aged 60 and above who wish to visit the mosques for their religious activities may do so. They are advised to adhere to the necessary safe management measures amid the mosque premises.
Seniors who are feeling unwell, vulnerable individuals (those exhibiting symptoms of acute respiratory infection as well as pre-existing chronic medical conditions) and children below the age of 12 should refrain from going to the mosque, and to perform their prayers at home instead.
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