In-person Eid prayer slots fully booked in Singapore

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has announced that all available slots for Eid al-Adha prayers at local mosques have been booked.

The organisation said on Facebook that 11,550 slots were at mosques designated Safer Mosques booked by 9.50 am, and the remaining 6,630 slots at other mosques taken up by 11.04 am.

Those who could not get a space in person at mosques can watch the Mufti’s sermon on the morning of Eid al-Adha (20 July) on SalamSG TV.

Safer Mosques pilot kicks off in Singapore from 25 June

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has released an educational video in conjunction with the Safer Mosques pilot, running at four mosques for the Friday prayer starting 25 June.

Safer Mosques are selected mosques offering more than 50 spaces, with pre-event testing (PET) implementation. However, congregants who have been fully vaccinated do not need to undergo PET.

Whether the pilot will be extended to more mosques will depend on the community’s vaccination rate, how soon we can adapt to PET if we need to, as well as the prevailing national guidelines, which are aligned to the rate of community spread, Muis said.

Singapore mosques can currently offer one zone of 50 spaces without pre-event testing (PET), or up to 250 spaces with PET. on a smooth visit at the Safer Mosques!

Details:

View the video.

Singapore mosques take cautious approach to Ramadhan activities

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has announced that some Ramadhan worship services will be available during the month (13 April to 12 May), but cautioned that current safe management measures must be maintained. "The community is still encouraged to observe Ramadhan activities with their families at home, in view of limited spaces at mosques, and to access online content and services that will be stepped up," Muis said in a statement.

The activities include:

Breaking of fast

Muslims are encouraged to break their fast at home and perform their prayers with their families. Those who have booked maghrib prayers at the mosque will be provided with dates and water to break their fast individually. There will be no communal breaking of fast at mosques as part of its adherence to the safe management measures to minimise risks of community transmission.

Terawih (تراويح) prayers

Mosques will be conducting terawih prayers and bookings for these prayer spaces will be done online. Terawih prayers will be limited to a total of 1 hour and will follow the approved safe management measures of each mosque. The number of prayer spaces will vary at each mosque, subject to the number of zones available. Dedicated spaces for female jemaah (الجماعة; worshippers in congregation) will be made available at some mosques. The terawih prayers will begin right after isha prayers.

There will be three booking windows throughout Ramadhan to correspond with the first, second and last 10 days of Ramadhan. Each window will offer about 84,000 prayer spaces. Each person will be initially limited to one booking per window, to allow more congregants to visit the mosques. Booking will open a few days before the start of each window.

Qiyamullail (قـيـام الـلـيـل , night prayers)

Qiyamullail will also be conducted at selected mosques during the last 10 days of Ramadhan. Due to limited spaces provided as outlined in each mosques' safe management plans, booking for night prayers via the online booking system will be required. Dedicated spaces for female jemaah will be made available at some mosques. There will be no sleepover at mosques and pre-dawn meals are not provided.

Two booking windows will be made available for the last 10 days of Ramadhan for qiyamullail, with 25,000 spaces available for each window. Each jemaah will be allowed to book once per window, and booking will open few days before the start of each window.

More details on when bookings can be made, and the timing of prayers, etc., will be shared closer to Ramadhan.

Other activities

Other activities such as tadarrus (تداروس, daily Quran reading) and khatamulQuran (ختام القرآن) will be allowed at mosques, with adherence to safe management plans similar to those in place for daily prayers at mosques.

To minimise risks of community transmission, Muis and mosques will only organise prayers during Ramadhan and Hari Raya Puasa (Eid) within mosque premises which will ensure proper adherence with the strict safe management measures. As with 2020, prayers that used to be held at void decks and other open areas (e.g. stadiums) will not be organised.

More mosque programmes and talks will be made available through online platforms. Muis will work with mosques to make more programmes available online via SalamSG TV and other mosques' social media platforms.

Muslims are also encouraged to continue paying zakat (زكاة) and donating online. Zakat payment can be made via Zakat.sg, and the community can continue to make donations to the centralised donation portal OurMasjid.SG to support mosque operational costs.

Mosques will continue to support low-income households who are recipients of zakat assistance during Ramadhan. Social development officers and the network of mosque befrienders will continue to reach out to families on long-term zakat financial assistance. Zakat financial assistance will remain available from the 31 Social Development Mosques islandwide.

This Ramadhan, the Office of the Mufti will be releasing a handbook to help the Muslim community navigate Ramadhan through the pandemic. The booklet will provide answers on religious queries and guidance related to the COVID-19, as raised by the public.

The Ramadhan booklet also addresses queries on vaccinations and nasal swab tests during Ramadhan. Vaccination does not invalidate the fast and the community is encouraged to take the COVID-19 vaccine when they are given the opportunity to do so. Nasal swab tests are also permissible and would not invalidate the fast, Muis said.

Since June 2020, congregational prayers have progressively resumed in mosques, in line with the guidelines for religious activities provided by the Singapore Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY). Prayers and other activities are conducted with safe distancing, shortened duration, enhanced cleaning regimens, separate entrances and exits, as well as adoption of the Trace Together application for contact tracing. Spaces are made available through an online booking system, which was designed to be easy to use, and to prioritise those who have not secured a slot in recent weeks.

Mosques to reopen in Oman from November 15

Source: Omani Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs website. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, Muscat.

The Supreme Committee of Oman has decided to allow the opening of mosques which can accommodate at least 400 worshippers from 15 November 2020, the Oman News Agency has reported.

The conditions under which mosques may reopen include:

- Only allowing the five daily prayers to be performed, with the exemption of Friday prayers.

- Worshippers must feel well. They should also avoid going to the mosque if COVID-19 symptoms are experienced family members, or if they have been in contact with infected persons.

- Mosques will only be open for 25 minutes at a time, inclusive of adhan (الأذان, call for prayer), the prayer itself, and leaving the mosque.

- Physical copies of the Quran (مصحف) have to be kept away and will not be used by worshippers.

- Water coolers (fridges) have to be shut down.

- All toilets have to be closed.

- Worshippers must bring their own prayer mats.

- Worshippers have to sanitise their hands before entering the mosque and after leaving it.

- Worshippers have to keep face masks on the entire time that they are inside the mosque.

- Social distancing of at least 1.5 m must be observed.

Those responsible for mosque management have to see to all worshippers’ commitments to the measures mentioned above and other precautionary measures listed in the Instructional Guide and Procedures for Mosque Preparation and Equipment issued by the Omani Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs.

Muis: pilot to allow more worshippers in mosques

Religious organisations in Singapore have been invited to take part in a pilot exercise increasing worshipper numbers to 250 persons. Social distancing is enforced by splitting the congregation equally, into five zones of up to 50 persons per zone.

Since June 2020, daily and Friday congregational prayers have resumed progressively in phases, with safe management measures such as safe distancing, shortened worship duration, separate entrances and exits as well as use of the SafeEntry platform to aid contact tracing. Up until October 2020, Muis offered 15,525 spaces each week for Friday prayers.

As a result of the strong cooperation from the community in utilising the prayer booking system and following the safety guidelines at mosques, Muis is now able to offer more spaces for Friday congregational prayers. From 13 November 2020, Muis will pilot a trial in 10 mosques, offering increased prayer spaces. The selected mosques will begin to offer three zones of 50 persons per zone. As an added precaution, these 10 mosques will require the use of TraceTogether for congregants attending Friday prayers.

The 10 mosques will gradually increase the number of zones available in phases up to the limit of 250 persons per session by the end of the year. This pilot will test mosques' readiness to organise congregational prayers in larger numbers safely, as well as the cooperation of congregants in abiding by the current safe management measures.

Registration for Friday prayers for the next two weeks at all mosques will be  available via the MuslimSG smartphone app and through ourmosques.commonspaces.sg from 10 am on 10 November 2020.

Checking in to a venue with the TraceTogether app or token will be made mandatory at many venues as Singapore prepares for Phase Three of its opening after lockdown. As of 23 October 2020, worshippers can utilise the TraceTogether SafeEntry check-ins at 40 mosques. Mosque officers have been actively promoting the TraceTogether app and the TraceTogether token for mosque entry.

With higher worshipper numbers, optimising use of TraceTogether will allow for quicker contact tracing as this will help to keep our mosques and loved ones safer. For the mosque, TraceTogether also allows localisation of possible infection and allows mosques to professionally clean and disinfect the specific area where a positive case was detected. This allows for faster and safer reopening of mosque premises and reduces the time taken to reopen.

In addition, all congregants are advised to continue to adhere to current safe management measures in keeping Singapore mosques safe. This includes not attending if unwell, taking wudhu (ablution) before coming to the mosque, bringing individual prayer items (prayer mats and a shoe bag), wearing a mask, refraining from talking and physical contact with other congregants while in the mosque, as well as maintaining safe distancing and practising TraceTogether SafeEntry when entering and exiting mosques.

In order to provide opportunities for as many Muslims as possible to perform Friday prayers, Muis asks those who have made bookings and are unable to attend to cancel their booking at least an hour before the session begins. This allows others to register.

Those who are unable to obtain a slot for Friday prayers are still given the flexibility, as advised by the Office of the Mufti, to replace Friday prayers with dhuhr prayers and tune in to Friday sermons via SalamSG TV.

Singapore mosques open up further

As of October 2020, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) is able to offer 15,225 spaces every week for Friday prayers at 64 mosques. This increase in capacity will eventually reach 30,000 slots every Friday. This will enable congregants to generally book a slot for Friday prayer every four to five weeks.

To achieve this, some mosques will pilot accommodating up to 250 congregants across five zones.

Muis will also increase the slots available for daily congregational prayers from 50 to 100 worshippers at selected mosques, to meet the demand from congregants at these mosques. Nineteen mosques will begin offering the additional 50 spaces from 7 October 2020.

From 16 October, the Friday prayer timings will also be adjusted earlier as the time for dhuhr is moving earlier. The new timings are as follows:

- 12:45pm to 1:15pm

- 1:45pm to 2:15pm

- 2:45pm to 3:15pm

The online booking system, designed  to prioritise those who have not secured a slot in recent weeks, also prevents people who have booked recently to make another booking within a specific blackout period. In recent weeks, this period has been progressively shortened as more spaces have been made available*. To date, about 85,000 congregants have attended Friday prayers since its resumption.

When mosques first reopened, Muis advised congregants aged 60 and above to refrain from visiting the mosque. Seniors who wish to do so may return to the mosques for religious activities, but are advised to adhere to the necessary safe management measures. Seniors who are feeling unwell, vulnerable individuals (those exhibiting symptoms of acute respiratory infection as well as pre-existing chronic medical conditions) as well as children below the age of 12 are strongly encouraged to refrain from going to the mosque, and to perform their prayers at home instead.

Muis emphasises that there is still a need for all safe distancing procedures, contact tracing, and the use of an online booking system to manage repeat bookings. The organisation continues to encourage use of the Trace Together app.

With the easing of guidelines by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), mosques will progressively resume other religious activities:

Part-time aLIVE madrasah classes will restart progressively, with some mosques piloting face-to-face classes from mid-October. Muis targets more on-site aLIVE classes at mosques to resume in 2021.

In-person marriage solemnisation at mosques have been allowed since 13 June 2020 while janazah prayer services have resumed as of 14 September 2020.

Face-to-face marriage counselling sessions for BersamaMu programmes and social development services have been also been allowed to resume gradually.

Mosques will organise limited hybrid live-online Maulid (Prophet’s Birthday) celebrations.

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the Office of the Mufti has been providing the appropriate religious guidance to ensure the community can continue to practise and fulfil religious obligations in a safe manner.

Despite the increase in prayer spaces, the original rukhsah**, as advised by the Office of the Mufti in its fatwa, will still be in place. Those who are unable to attain a slot for Friday prayers are given the flexibility to replace Friday prayer with the dhuhr prayer and are encouraged to tune to SalamSG TV and other online platforms to listen to the Friday sermon.

In March 2020, Muis closed all mosques in order to prevent transmission of COVID-19, and mosques remained closed during the Circuit Breaker (lockdown) period. Post-Circuit Breaker, from the provision of small prayer spaces for essential service workers, mosques have developed and successfully implemented safe management measures, allowing for the gradual and safe reopening of mosques and resumption of congregational prayers.

Since June 2020, daily and Friday congregational prayers have progressively resumed in mosques, with safe distancing, shortened sessions, enhanced cleaning regimens, separate entrances and exits as well as contact tracing in place. Although there were a few cases of asymptomatic COVID-19 positive individuals visiting mosques, no virus transmissions have been detected.

This has allowed Muis to progressively increase the number of spaces available, in line with the guidelines for religious activities provided by the MCCY. The Fatwa Committee also issued an advisory to the community that a religious concession was allowed for congregants who, due to space limitations, were unable to perform their obligatory Friday prayers in mosques, and to substitute this with prayer at home or at work***.

*When the system was first introduced in June 2020, a person could only make a subsequent booking after seven weeks.

**Flexibility, permissibility, an exception to a general law, granted to preserve life or remove hardship.

***Fatwa issued by Office of the Mufti providing guidance on the religious justifications in view of the congregational worship with limited prayer spaces, dated 24 March 2020.

More spaces now available for Friday prayers in Singapore

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has successfully concluded a trial to test the readiness of places of worship and for worshippers to perform congregational prayers in larger numbers safely.

Since 26 June 2020, Friday congregational prayers have resumed at 65 mosques, accommodating up to 50 congregants at any one time. In the trial, four* mosques implemented Safe Management Measures (SMM) as prescribed by the Ministry of Community, Culture and Youth. The success of the trial adds a prayer zone at mosques, resulting in congregational worship of up to 100 persons across two zones. 

According to Muis, 26 June-28 August saw approximately 84,000 spaces cumulatively provided for Friday prayers. The organisation noted that worshippers have adapted well to the additional safe measures and behaved responsibly, cooperating with mosque frontline officers to ensure the smooth conduct of daily and Friday congregational prayers.

With the success of this trial, Muis will expand the pilot to allow another 20 mosques to offer two prayer zones for Friday prayers. A total of 24 mosques will now offer praying capacity for 100 spaces (two zones) for three sessions every Friday. Another 10 mosques will also begin offering three prayer sessions. This will provide a total of 13,000 places each week for Friday prayer starting 4 September 2020, a 34% increase spaces available each week.


The original rukhsah** (رخصة, concession), as advised by the Office of the Mufti in its fatwa*** (فتوى, legal opinion) is still in place. Those who have yet to attain a slot for Friday prayers are given the flexibility to replace Friday prayer with the dhuhr (الظهر, mid-day) prayer and are encouraged to tune in to Friday sermons delivered via SalamSG TV. 

Details:

View the list of mosques offering more prayer spaces for the first two Fridays of September

Muis will open Friday prayer registration for more than a week each time, to make it easier for the public to obtain a slot. Registration for Friday prayer booking for 4 September and 11 September will open on 1 September 2020 at 10 am for worshippers who have yet to secure a space since 24 July (inclusive). Registration for congregational prayer slots at all mosques will be open via the MuslimSG app and via https://ourmosques.commonspaces.sg.

However, some people have made bookings but failed to turn up, particularly for the third prayer session. Muis requests that congregants are asked to cancel their bookings early if they are unable to come for prayer so that others may have an opportunity to register. Congregants may cancel bookings at any time up to one hour before the reserved prayer session. Those who fail to cancel their bookings and do not turn up will be deemed as having secured a slot in the system and will have to await the prevailing debarment period before they can reapply. This debarment period will be reviewed and updated as more spaces progressively become available.

SMM measures will continue, in the form of separate entrances and exits for different zones, as well as no intermingling between zones. All are encouraged to take wudhu (الوضوء, ritual ablutions) before coming to the mosque, bring their own prayer items (prayer mats and a shoe bag), wear a mask, refrain from talking and physical contact with other congregants, maintain safe distancing and use SafeEntry when entering and exiting the mosques.

Vulnerable individuals (those aged above 60 and those exhibiting symptoms of acute respiratory infection as well as pre-existing chronic medical conditions) and children below the age of 12 are strongly encouraged to refrain from going to the mosque, Muis said. They should perform prayers at home instead. Worshippers with valid prayer slots who are unwell should also cancel their bookings.

*The four mosques are Masjid Assyafaah, Masjid Mujahidin, Masjid Al-Istighfar and Masjid Al-Iman.

**Flexibility, permissibility, an exception to a general law, granted to preserve life or remove hardship.

***Fatwa statement on precautionary measures in dealing with Covid-19 dated 24 March 2020.

Book mosque prayer sessions online: Singapore

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has developed an online prayer booking system to manage the demand and ensure orderly conduct of the congregational prayers now that a maximum of 50 congregants may pray together at the same time.

The system allows for reservation of available prayer spaces for daily and Friday congregational prayers. To enable more worshippers to perform their Friday prayers, the system will limit the number of bookings an individual can make for Friday prayers to only one reservation within a three-week window.

For individuals who are unable to obtain a slot for the Friday prayers, the Fatwa Committee has advised that it is sufficient and permissible to perform the regular noon (dhuhr) prayer in place of the Friday prayer. This concession also applies to those who are vulnerable and at risk of infection, such as seniors aged 60 years and above and those with pre-existing chronic conditions. These vulnerable groups, as well as children below the age of 12, are strongly discouraged from attending Friday prayers for the time being. They may instead perform the dhuhr prayer at home on Fridays.

Source: Muis Facebook page. Infographic on safety measures to follow before turning up at a mosque to pray.

As of 25 June, slots for Friday prayers for 26 June and 3 July had been fully taken up, with a handful of slots still available for 10 July.

Live Friday khutbahs are available online.

Details:

Submit the prayer booking form

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on how Singapore is managing congregational prayer during COVID-19

Read the blog post on the fatwas behind the guidelines

Singapore issues fatwas on congregational prayer to manage public health

Singapore's Fatwa Committee has provided guidance on the religious justifications in view of the congregational worship with limited prayer spaces, in line with mosques reopening for congregational prayer, but with a maximum of 50 congregants per session.

Fatwas issued to guide the implementation of Phase 2 of Singapore's COVID-19 post-circuit breaker response include:

- Safe distancing between congregants during prayers

- Holding multiple sessions for Friday prayers

- Groups excused from performing Friday prayers and the religious ruling for those unable to attain prayer slots

Details:

Read the fatwas in English or Malay.

Read the Suroor Asia blog post on how Singapore is managing congregational prayer during COVID-19.

Mosques in Singapore to allow congregational prayers

Esa Masood, Chief Executive, Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), has announced that in Phase 2 of Singapore's post-circuit breaker reopening, mosques will allow congregational worship.

From 26 June 2020, 66 mosques will now be open for individual private prayer, up to a limit of 50 worshippers, at any one time. In addition, there will be two Friday prayer sessions, with 50 congregants per session.

"As the risk of transmission at mosques remains high, mosques will implement a comprehensive safe management plan for the safety of our congregants. Sermons and prayers will not go beyond 20 minutes, and congregants will need to adhere to safe distancing measures including when performing prayers," Esa said on the Muis Facebook page.

The advice includes:

- Performing ritual ablutions (wudhu) before going to the mosque.

- Wearing a mask at all times

- Bringing personal prayer items and bags for footwear

- Avoiding physical contact with other congregants.

Other than Fridays, the mosques will also offer daily congregational prayers, with 50 slots for each of the five daily prayers.

Those who would like to participate must reserve a place online. "We will offer slots for the first three weeks, on 26 June, 3 July and 10 July. For these three weeks, individuals are allowed only one slot for now, to allow more members of the community the opportunity to perform Friday prayers," Esa said.

Children and vulnerable groups like the elderly and those with chronic respiratory ailments are strongly advised to continue to pray at home for their own safety.

Details:

Learn how to book slots for daily congregational prayers and Friday prayers. Booking for congregational prayers can be done online and will open from 24 June at 9 am.

Selected Singapore mosques extend opening hours from 8 June

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has reported that the initial phase under which mosques reopened in Singapore has been well-received.

Under Phase 1A, mosques were open from 1 pm to 6 pm for individual private worship for small numbers of members of the community, especially workers in essential services. These included taxi drivers, private hire drivers and delivery service personnel.

From 8 June, 46 mosques will open for extended operating hours for individual worship of the five daily prayers, from 5:30 am to 7 am for the dawn prayer, and then from 1 pm to 9 pm.

"The rest of the mosques which are extending their hours will do so based on the demand from congregants. Some mosques with no demand will not offer dawn prayers, and will only open from 1 pm and will close in the evening at 9 pm. Some mosques will close earlier as they are situated within small or non-residential areas with no demand for evening prayers," Muis explained in an online statement.

In this phase, mosques will not organise congregational prayers, including Friday prayers, in line with the national guidelines for places of worship. The limit on the number of individuals allowed at any one time, as well as the distinct individual and family prayer zones, will continue.

Other precautionary measures that were put in place earlier will also continue, Muis said. This includes regular disinfection of common spaces, physical checks, temperature-taking and ensuring all congregants who visit to register their details using the Safe Entry system.

Details:

Check timings and prayer sessions (PDF)

Muis details reopening plans for mosques in Singapore

Mosques in Singapore will reopen in progressive phases from 2 June 2020. They will offer limited spaces for individual prayer to cater to the needs of mobile essential workers. Congregational and Friday prayers will remain suspended until further notice, announced the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis).

Muis noted that while mosques were closed, workarounds were found. Mosque services such as Islamic learning have been moved online, while other services traditionally conducted at mosques such as congregational prayer and communal activities were suspended and carried out at home instead. Zakat beneficiaries continued to receive financial and developmental assistance, and the mosques continued to be the channel for charitable works and doing good during Ramadhan with its key support for the SGUnited Buka Puasa initiative.
Under the first phase of easing of circuit breaker restrictions, Safe Reopening, Muis will introduce maximum precautionary measures to minimise the possibility of a second wave of community infections, and consequently having to close mosques again.

In Phase 1:

From 2 to 7 June – mosques will open from 1 pm to 6 pm. Preschool services at 15 mosque-based kindergartens reopen for K1 and K2 classes.

From 8 June – most mosques will allow individual worship for the five daily prayers; some mosques will continue to offer limited operating hours. N1 and N2 classes to reopen.

Islamic education and religious query services will continue online.

Check-ins with zakat beneficiaries will continue via phone, but urgent face-to-face sessions may be conducted on a needs basis.

During Phase 1, mosques will not organise congregational prayers, including Friday prayers, in line with the national guidelines for places of worship. These will instead be organised in later phases when the overall situation allows.

In addition to regular disinfection of common spaces, mosques have also put in place a physical checking, temperature taking and Safe Entry system*. Mosques will also implement safe distancing measures in terms of distinct zones or marked spaces for worshippers from different households. Mosques will limit the number of persons able to perform worship, in line with national guidelines.

Individuals visiting the mosques must abide by these practices and also bring along their NRIC or scannable personal identification documents for the Safe Entry system. They must adhere to the necessary precautionary measures, including donning masks, bringing their own personal prayer items such as prayer mats, avoiding intermingling with others at the mosque (including no handshakes) as well as avoiding coming to the mosque if they are unwell.

Limited prayer spaces will be provided for the community to perform private worship. In line with the national guidelines, up to five prayer zones will be demarcated, with each zone able to accommodate up to five individuals from the same household.

The community is urged to give priority to individuals performing essential services and who, due to the nature of their work, are unable to perform prayers at a fixed workspace. This will include mobile delivery drivers and riders as well as drivers of personal hire vehicles and taxis.

"We also urge other members of the community who can perform their worship at home to continue to do so," said Muis, highlighting that the elderly and the young are discouraged from performing prayers at the mosques for the time being, in line with the overall guidance to stay at home.

As the rate of community transmission eases, and Singapore moves into the next phase of reopening, Safe Transition and then to Safe Nation, mosques will also gradually ease protective measures to allow for an increased but safe number of mosque users as well as more activities, including congregational prayers. However, measures may also be tightened if the situation worsens, Muis said.

Muis said: "...We urge the community to work closely with mosque leaders to continue to curb the spread of the virus by adopting the necessary precautions when visiting our mosques, and to visit mosques during this period only when necessary. At the same time, our mosques are committed to continuing to serve the socioreligious needs of the community with mosque services continue to be available to the public during this period, including via online channels."

*Safe Entry software tracks the date and time that a person has visited a venue for contact tracing purposes.

Community crowdfunding initiative to support Singapore mosques

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has launched a centralised donation portal in support of the mosques named OurMasjid.SG and called upon the community to continue to support Singapore mosques and asatizah during the challenging months ahead.

The mosques were closed temporarily on 13 March 2020, and meant to reopen the same month. As the risk to the community remains high, the Fatwa Committee in Singapore recommended on 24 March to continue the closure of mosques and suspend Friday prayers until further notice. In making this recommendation, the committee is guided by two principles that apply in a situation like COVID-19, i.e. to avoid all forms of harm and to close all doors that lead to danger and harm.

The mosque closure has prevented the community from donating directly to mosques through donation boxes, which the mosques rely on for operations and manpower funding. All mosque operational costs, such as manpower and utility bills still depend largely on donations from congregants. Significant amounts are typically collected during Friday congregational prayers.

In response, Muis has partnered MuslimSG to launch OurMasjid.SG - a community crowdfunding initiative for mosques. With this new platform, it is now easier for the community to make online donations to mosques.

Singapore mosque overheads include salaries as well as utilities costs. They employ more than 2,000 staff which includes Mosque Religious Officers (MRO), Social Development Officers (SDO), aLIVE teachers, imam, bilal, admin officers as well as maintenance & support officers (noja). These frontliners face thousands of congregants weekly, and play important roles in keeping religious life alive at the mosques.

In addition, while there have been efforts by the mosques to promote water and energy conservation, mosques continue to be in need for support from the public to defray such costs to ensure the cleanliness and safe operations of mosques. Water and utilities alone account for almost 4% of mosque annual expenditure.

Separately, KuliahSG will centralise online religious content provided by the mosques. Starting out as a ground-up initiative by two individuals, KuliahSG is a centralised portal for online programmes produced by mosques. Muis and mosques are fully supportive of this initiative and will work together with KuliahSG in the spirit of helping the community gain access to Islamic online content which asatizah and mosques in Singapore are producing daily, Muis said.

Despite the physical closure of the mosques, mosque asatizah and staff have been working hard to continue to serve the spiritual needs of congregants by bringing mosque programmes and religious content online. For example, over 50 mosques now have put up online content, comprising over 1,130 videos. Mosques are also continuing with Islamic education for the young, by conducting aLIVE lessons through home-based learning.

Muis announced on 7 April 2020 that S$1 million had been set aside to support mosques during their temporary closure due to COVID-19. The organisation is working with partners under the SGTeguhBersatu Task Force to provide a comprehensive assistance package for asatizah, the mosque sector, as well as the tenants of wakaf properties.

With the temporary closure of the mosques, Muis noted that many asatizah have lost both their primary platform to reach the community as well as a source of income. Muis will assist asatizah in applying for assistance under the Resilience Package, including the Self-Employed Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) and the Temporary Relief Fund (TRF). 

For SIRS, Muis will work with NTUC, and will accept applications from self-employed ARS-certified asatizah who are eligible for this scheme. Muis will outreach to asatizah to raise awareness of the scheme, and guide asatizah through the application process.

Asatizah who are eligible to receive the support under the scheme will receive three payouts of S$3,000, starting from May.

Muis will also work with MSF to assist and support asatizah to apply for the Temporary Relief Fund via the designated online portal. Asatizah who experienced a drop in income due to COVID-19 will receive a one-off payment of S$500. In addition, asatizah who lost their jobs due to COVID-19 can also apply for the COVID-19 Assistance Grant and receive S$800 a month, for three months.

Asatizah who wish to apply for these schemes can call +65 6350 5374 or 6350 1440 for assistance.

Muis has also helped mosques to move more lessons and classes online. This includes programmes conducted by its religious officers, home-based learning for aLIVE madrasahs* and other Islamic learning classes. Muis will also share a toolkit with IECPs** and home-based Quranic teachers to encourage more to continue their classes via online platforms. This will ensure they continue to draw income during this period.

To support and prepare asatizah for beyond the crisis, Muis will partner MENDAKI Sense to support the upskilling of asatizah. To complement the Self-Employed Person (SEP) Training Support Scheme, Muis will encourage asatizah to upskill especially in areas like digital marketing, technology-enabled learning delivery and counselling. This will be tied to the launch of the Career Map and Competency Framework (CCF), one of the recommendations from COFA***, later this month, which will create more opportunities and enhance the career pathways for asatizah.

Given that the closure of mosques will affect them financially, Muis earlier said that it will provide grants to support mosques to adopt enhanced precautions to deal with COVID-19 when they reopen. This includes temperature taking, contract tracing, and manpower and systems for queue management.

In addition, as the aLIVE class is partially affected by the closure of the mosque and will be replaced with home learning, Muis will give a grant to mosques to waive the aLIVE fee by 50% for two months. Parents in the aLIVE programme will be informed by their respective mosques on the details of this fee waiver.

Muis is committed to supporting businesses and organisations which are renting wakaf properties. In this regard, Muis will pass on all the property tax rebates provided by the government from the Resilience and Solidarity Budgets. In addition, Muis will provide additional rental waivers to commercial tenants as well as community tenants.

Wakaf properties are those dedicated by a Muslim for a purpose recognised by Muslim law as pious, religious; or charitable. Community tenants refer to non-profit organisations and SMEs offering socio-religious services.

All commercial and community tenants will receive a baseline rental waiver of 1.5 months as part of passing on property tax rebates to tenants. Commercial tenants will receive an additional 0.5 month rental waiver on top of the associated tax rebates while community tenants will receive an additional two months' rental waiver. In total, commercial tenants of wakaf properties will receive a two-month rental waiver while community tenants of wakaf properties will receive a four-month rental waiver.

Muis has also said that zakat financial assistance will remain available at the 31 Social Development Mosques.

Details:

Members of the community can make their contributions online at https://ourmasjid.sg (English) or https://ourmasjid.sg/ms/ourmasjid-home-ml/ (Malay) via credit and debit cards, eNETs, PayNow and GIRO. Recurring payments can also be made through credit/debit card or GIRO to help support the mosques in the long term.

*ALIVE (Learning Islamic Values Everyday) are religious programmes for children across various age groups (kids, tween, teens, youth). The programmes are conducted at mosques across Singapore.

** Islamic education centres and providers (IECP) provide religious instructions (e.g. lectures, classes) at various location. IECPs are required to employ teachers who are registered under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) and to ensure that the curriculum, learning materials and teachers employed comply with the ARS Code of Ethics. 

***The Committee of Future Asatizah (COFA) was formed in March 2019 to spearhead engagement on the Vision for Asatizah of the Future. The committee recently published a report outlining three key thrusts and 10 recommendations, based on the Vision of Future Asatizah.

Muis endorses latest safe distancing measures in Singapore

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has issued a statement of support for the latest safe-distancing measures introduced by the Singapore government to minimise the spread of COVID-19.

The organisation noted that the measures are medically- and scientifically-grounded.

"In preparing for the opening of the mosques on 27 March 2020, Muis has already been putting in place enhanced measures such as temperature taking and contact tracing, as well as incorporating safe distancing in religious activities at mosques," Muis said in a statement.

"Muis will seek guidance from the Fatwa Committee, to incorporate the additional measures while ensuring adherence to our religious requirements, to ensure that congregational prayers can be conducted safely in our mosques."

On March 20, Lawrence Wong, Singapore Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance and also the Co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce on COVID-19 said, "We have to do more stringent measures, which we are announcing today, and it cannot just be business as usual. What do we hope to achieve from all of this? We would like to see,when all of these measures are in place, (with) fewer people out and about, a reduction in social gatherings or any activity involving close contact that can be a potential vector for transmission of the virus."

The measures include:

- All large-scale gatherings have to be fewer than 250 people in size.

- Organisers of large-scale gatherings must ensure adequate distance apart when the participants or attendees are seated.

- All employers are asked to get employees to work from home. If that is not possible, then employees should go to the office on staggered hours so they do not all come at the same time and leave at the same time. These hours are preferably not during the peak period for transport.

- Safe distancing - people seated 1 m apart - should be enforced across the board – in entertainment venues, attractions, restaurants, food and beverage (F&B) outlets, hawker centres, and coffeeshops.

"We need Singaporeans to cooperate. We will be enforcing these rules. It will lead to some inconvenience, but we will need Singaporeans to cooperate and take responsibility for these changes. If we are all disciplined about this,it will give us better control over the situation, and enable us to suppress and slow down the spread of the virus. So we hope all Singaporeans will work with us – do our part to protect ourselves, our families, our friends and the people around us," Wong said.

On 19 March, the Singapore Ministry of Education announced additional safe distancing measures as part of its response to COVID-19. The measures include:

- Fixed exam-style seating for primary 3 students and above, and fixed group cluster seating for primary 1 and 2 and MOE Kindergarten students. In exam-style seating, desks are placed further apart and each student sits alone.

- Assigned seating and wipe-down routine in school canteens

- Assigned play areas for students to play in reduced group sizes
 
The news follows an announcement from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of the removal of online product listings with false claims related to COVID-19. The products included health supplements, herbs, traditional medicines and products that can worn on or near the body.

Among the false and misleading claims were promises that the product could “strengthen the immune system against the coronavirus” or “prevent and cure coronavirus”, HSA said in a statement.

"There is currently no evidence that such products can prevent or treat COVID-19. HSA also detected rapid test kits which claimed to be able to diagnose COVID-19 within 10 minutes. Testing for COVID-19 can only be done by clinical laboratories or medical professionals in clinics and hospitals to ensure an accurate test result and diagnosis. Product listings with false claims related to COVID-19 made up about half the total number of listings taken down by HSA. Such fraudulent claims are not allowed and HSA will take actions against the sellers of these products."

Some 2,500 listings were removed in total.

Dates and times of possible COVID spread at more Singapore mosques shared

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has updated its advice to the Muslim community in Singapore as new developments have occurred as a result of Singaporeans who attended a large religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia.

As of 13 March, 2020 the organisation noted that five people have tested positive for COVID-19, and cited media reports that at least 37 Bruneians and 77 Malaysians who also attended the gathering, or were close contacts of delegates, have also tested positive.

"It is possible for more cases to emerge from persons who had visited the mosque, or further spread to their close contacts. Muis is actively assisting the Ministry of Health (MOH) in their efforts to conduct contact tracing, to limit the spread of the virus. Thus far MOH’s contract tracing efforts have revealed that the individuals who tested positive visited a total of 10 mosques during their infectious period," the organisation said in an online statement.

As visitors to any of the 10 mosques in the time between the end of the religious gathering (March 1) and the closure of the mosques (March 12 for some, March 13 for the rest) might have been exposed to a COVID-19 case, Muis asks them to monitor their health closely for two weeks from their last visit to the affected mosques. If they have fever or respiratory symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny nose or breathlessness) or feel otherwise unwell they should seek medical attention promptly. They should wear a mask and call the clinic ahead of their visit, telling the clinic that they were at activities that have been linked to a COVID-19 case.

"This is a very timely reminder for each of us to take the necessary precautions to keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy in these times. This must surely include best practices in personal hygiene as well as socially responsible behaviour," Muis said.

Precautions include:

- See a doctor when unwell, even with mild flu-like symptoms, and stay at home to prevent spreading illness to others.

- Keep to the same family physician for better continuity of care.

- Practise self-isolation at home when unwell and as advised by a doctor.

- Avoid large community gatherings as well as large religious gatherings overseas during this period and defer all non-essential travel to mainland China, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea and Spain.

- Frequent hand washing with soap and water as well as avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.

- Look out for one another, monitor the health of your family and friends, and keep reminding one another to be socially responsible and to maintain strict personal hygiene.

Details of the mosques, including specific dates and times, can be downloaded here (PDF).

Muis acts swiftly to slow spread from emerging Malaysian cluster

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has closed mosques and cancelled Friday prayers in response to news that about 90 Singaporeans had attended a mass religious gathering in Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia which is turning out to be COVID-19 cluster.

According to media reports, a large number of delegates were at the event at Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling, with some estimates of the audience being as high as 14,500. The event ran from February 27 to March 1.  

So far, four Singaporean individuals who attended the event have been tested positive for the virus.

"Muis understands that these individuals are regular congregants at various local mosques and are likely to have frequented these mosques since their return from KL," the organisation said in a statement.  

To stop further potential spread of COVID-19, Muis closed Masjid Muttaqin, Masjid Kassim, Masjid Hajjah Fatimah and Masjid Jamae Chulia as of 12 March. These were the mosques which the initial positive cases had visited after they returned to Singapore. 

Muis further announced the following measures:

- All mosques in Singapore will be temporarily closed for thorough cleaning from 13 March to 17 March

- Congregational Friday prayers for 13 March were suspended. A video message from the Mufti on Singapore was uploaded on Facebook in Malay*.

- All mosque activities will be suspended for two weeks from 13 March to 27 March. These include lectures, religious classes and mosque-based kindergarten sessions.

"Muis continues to monitor the situation and will update the community accordingly. Muis seeks the support and the understanding of the Muslim community for such preemptive measures to safeguard public health and the well-being of all communities in Singapore. It is part of our religious and social responsibility to do so.

"Muis advises the community to maintain best practices in hygiene and socially responsible behaviour during this period, and avoiding physical handshakes. We should continue to remain spiritually resilient and support each other, especially those who are vulnerable in our community," the organisation concluded.


The Fatwa Committee has also released a fatwa (religious ruling) on the permissibility of suspending the congregational Friday prayers when the need arises in the interest of public health and safety. Muslims were advised to perform their regular noon (dhuhr) prayers instead of the congregational prayers.

Online classes are available at go.gov.sg/onlinekuliah

Hashtags: #SGUnited, #MuftiTalk

*The newly-appointed Mufti, Dr Nazirudin Mohd Nasir, quoted Surah Al-Baqarah (2:155-157) and said, "As Muslims, we should remind ourselves that any tests that befall us is a means for us to increase our patience and faith in Allah s.w.t. It also serves as a reminder for us that we belong to Allah, and to Allah we will return. Hence, let us purify our hearts and strengthen our ties with Allah s.w.t. in these trying times by continuously seeking His forgiveness and praying to Him.

"May Allah s.w.t. continue to protect all of humankind from all trials and tragedy, and show us the path that He favours. Ameen."

Mosque official guilty of criminal breach of trust

MUIS, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore, has reported that a former mosque official and volunteer has pleaded guilty to criminal breach of trust in regard to cash donations to a mosque.

In 2013, Muis detected financial irregularities at the mosque and referred the matter to the police.

In a statement online Muis said that it does not tolerate any financial impropriety at mosques. "Muis has policies and procedures in place to ensure good governance in the mosques, and continuously reviews these measures to meet national regulatory standards and benchmarks," the organisation said.
Muis has conducted refresher training in recent years on Mosque Financial Regulations with mosque staff and members of the mosque management boards to create greater awareness on the importance of good financial management. Muis has also put in place regular independent audits on all mosques to ensure compliance with the Mosque Financial Regulations.

Muis also stressed that the case should not tarnish the good name and the invaluable contributions of mosque leaders, volunteers and staff, who have been serving their community and congregation selflessly and with amanah (أمانة, fulfilment of a trust) through the years.

CUBE Boutique Capsule Hotel at Kampong Glam offers affordable stays near Sultan Mosque

The CUBE Boutique Capsule Hotel at
Kampong Glam is along Bussorah Street.

The CUBE Boutique Capsule Hotel at Kampong Glam adds another 56 beds to RB Hospitality's capsule portfolio, which offers affordable, restored heritage accommodation located in popular conservation and cultural enclaves. The company has another successful capsule hotel in Chinatown, Singapore.

RB Hospitality's Co-Founders CEO Benedict Choa and COO Sonia Anya Tay decided to invest in capsule hotels after noticing that there were few affordable single-room options for family stays.

“Kampong Glam is chosen for its vibrancy, charm and rich heritage culture. In addition to the Sultan Mosque and the Malay Heritage Centre, there are a number of shops, cafes, restaurants and other bustling sites such as the hip Haji Lane (nearby). The Bugis MRT Station is only a five-minute walk away,” said Tay. 

The CUBE Boutique Capsule Hotel at Kampong Glam is along the Kampong Glam Heritage Trail and targets digitally-inclined travellers. A number of Muslim guests have chosen the hotel for its proximity to Sultan Mosque. CUBE has also attracted business travellers who appreciate convenient, affordable capsule accommodation. For an extra level of security and privacy, female travellers can choose to stay in the women-only rooms. 

“Our guests are typically 18-35 years old global explorers including founders of new generation businesses and special interest groups. The positive interest shown in our properties has inspired us to create a new CUBE Capsule concept which we aim to open before the end of this year. This is very much in line with our vision to grow the number of CUBE Boutique Capsule Hotels to eight in Singapore in the next few years,” added Tay. 

Named after the neighbouring streets, room configurations vary between two and 18 capsules. Measuring 6 ft x 3 ft x 4ft for a single and 6 ft x 5 ft x 4 ft for a queen with plush mattresses and linen, each capsule is designed to enable easy moderation of its own temperature and airflow; and is insulated to reduce ambient noise. 

The shared bathrooms offer standing showers, a hairdryer and bath toiletries. Guests are provided with a dental kit, slippers and one towel upon check-in and this is exchangeable daily. A washing machine with complimentary detergent is also available for guests while work desks are also provided for guests’ use. 

Besides complimentary Wi-Fi, guests can also enjoy a daily breakfast showcasing local flavours in a relaxed communal dining area. There are a wide range of halal food & beverage outlets nearby. Guests can also log onto the Dining Butler, a smartphone tech solution, for food orders and delivery. 

The Singapore Visitor Centre is located in the hotel lobby, allowing easy booking of tours to popular locations. Reception staff are available 24x7.

Sunset view of Sultan Mosque, taken outside the hotel.

Details:

Each capsule stay can range between S$50 and S$120 per night. All units come with a universal electrical outlet, safe, mirror/vanity area, bedside light, a space for hanging garments and a locker drawer with digital security for personal storage.

Explore:

Watch the video introducing the CUBE capsule concept

View pictures of the hotel

More efficient wudhu taps to be installed in Al Ain mosques

The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments (Awqaf) of the UAE has signed an agreement with the Al Ain Distribution Company (AADC) to help reduce water consumption at mosques in the Al Ain area. AADC is the sole distributor and supplier of water and electricity in the eastern region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, comprising Al Ain city and the surrounding area.

Source: Awqaf.  The agreement was signed on behalf of Awqaf's Mohammed Saeed al Niyadi, Director General, and by HE Abdullah Ali al Shiryani, Acting GM of Al Ain Distribution Company. 

Awqaf's Mohammed Saeed al Niyadi, Director General said that water taps in mosques in the Abu Dhabi and Al Dhafra areas have already been replaced in the first phase of the My Mosque project. The second phase of the project commences after the signing of this agreement and will cover the 1,122 mosques of Al Ain city, which together have 16,545 taps. 

The agreement is part of the My Mosque initiative, where Awqaf aims to develop smart and ecofriendly mosques in the UAE. Existing water taps for wudhu will be replaced with efficient models that are equipped with automatic shut-off valves to save water. This is in line with the requirements of development and rationalisation of water consumption in the emirate. 

“Rationalisation of consumption and avoiding wastage and extravagance in all matters are amongst the important principles of Islam. Preservation is a religious and social virtue and a positive culture that must be highlighted and promoted at all levels of the community, being individuals, families or institutions. This even applies to such acts of worship as ablution,” al Niyadi pointed out.

“There is no doubt, water is one of the national resources that should preserved. Thus its consumption should be rationalised and optimised so as to ensure its sustainability and preservation for the future generations.” 

HE Abdullah Ali al Shiryani, Acting GM of AADC, said that through sponsoring this initiative, Al Ain Distribution Company strives to encourage individuals and entities to conserve water and optimise its consumption, the aim being to protect such a natural resource for wastage.

“The initiative is also aimed at raising awareness of worshipers about the importance of saving water during ablution, a value that is highlighted by Islam,” said al Shiryani.

He said this was being done in coordination with the concerned entities and stakeholders in order to concert efforts of all parties. Awqaf is one such stakeholder, being one of the main entities that manages and take care of thousands of mosques in the UAE. It plays an important role in promoting the culture of consumption rationalisation through its various communication channels, including Friday khutbahs, lessons at mosques and radio programmes, he explained.

“For this reason, Al Ain Distribution Company counts on Awqaf greatly in instilling the culture of consumption saving and reduction of water wastage,” al Shiryani concluded.

Sabah Al Ahmed Masjid and Islamic Education Centre opened in Canberra

The Kuwait News Agency has reported that the Kuwait Ambassador to Australia, Najeeb Al-Bader, inaugurated the Sabah Al Ahmed Masjid and Islamic Education Centre on 4 May in Canberra, Australia.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the Canberra Islamic Centre and was attended by over 450 people.

In his speech Ambassador Al-Bader shared that the construction of the mosque and centre is the result of a partnership between the Kuwaiti embassy and Canberra Islamic Centre, backed by a donation from the Council of Ministers of Kuwait for about A$2 million. The project was launched after the Canberra Islamic Centre communicated the need for a mosque and centre to provide educational and religious services to the 10,000-strong Muslim community in Canberra. It aims to help the community to integrate into Australian society, spread the message of Islam, as well as promote interreligious plus intercultural dialogue and understanding. 

The Ambassador said the mosque is the first of its kind in Canberra and Australia, and is large enough to accommodate 1,200 male and female worshipers. It also includes classrooms that will host lessons on Quran memorisation, the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and Arabic. The gardens can be used for events.

Ambassador Al-Bader called for the continuation of the partnership between the Kuwaiti Embassy and the Canberra Islamic Centre. The Kuwaiti Embassy is to be a permanent member of the executive committee of the centre. 

Chris Crewther, Member of Paraliament for Dunkley-Victoria, spoke on behalf the Australian Prime Minister, the Honourable Malcolm Turnbull. He noted the importance of the achievement for the Muslim community, and said the launch reflects multicultural Australian society and its religious integration. 

Dr Walid Al-Shuaib, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs for the Holy Quran and Islamic Studies, representing Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Dr Fahd Al-Afasi, shared that Kuwait provides humanitarian aid and charity to the disadvantaged anywhere in the world, regardless of religion, country, gender or colour. He stressed that the project would promote tolerance and equality while imparting Islamic values. 

Explore:

View photos of the events on Facebook