• Muis aims to double the number of slots for Friday prayers to 30,000 weekly
• Some mosques will run a pilot scheme to hold up to 250 congregants per prayer session
• From next Wednesday, 19 selected mosques will allow up to 100 congregants for daily congregational prayers
• Congregants above age 60 may now visit the mosques but are advised to take precautions

SINGAPORE — More Muslims will gradually be allowed to perform their Friday prayers at mosques, with the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) aiming to eventually double the number of slots offered to 30,000 weekly.

“This will enable congregants to generally book a slot for Friday prayer every four to five weeks,” Muis said in a statement on Wednesday (Sept 30), referring to its online prayer booking system, which prevents congregants from making consecutive bookings.

To achieve this, some mosques will run a pilot scheme to hold up to 250 congregants per prayer session, spread across five zones.

No further details were given, except that a “smaller number” of mosques will take part for a start and that discussions with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth are under way.

Muis does not have a timeline for when it will hit the targeted 30,000 weekly slots, as that would depend on the situation and the success of the trials, its chief executive Esa Masood said at a press conference held over video-conferencing platform Zoom on Wednesday.

“We have to prove that it’s safe and effective, and we’ll gradually increase the spaces from there,” he said. “But based on the current sets of safe management measures and the space that we have in our mosques, we think 30,000 is a realistic number.”

By next month, Muis will be able to offer 15,225 spaces weekly for Friday prayers at 64 mosques.

From next Wednesday, it will also increase the number of booking slots available online for daily congregational prayers from 50 to 100 at 19 selected mosques that experience higher demand from congregants.

These mosques include Masjid Al-Istighfar in Pasir Ris, Masjid Assyafaah in Sembawang, Masjid Angullia along Serangoon Road and Masjid Al-Khair in Chua Chu Kang.

The authorities announced last week that all religious organisations would be allowed to carry out congregational and other worship services for up to 100 people from Oct 3, with safe distancing and management measures in place.

But Muis will extend the additional 50 daily congregational prayer slots to other mosques only if the demand at these mosques calls for it.

“There are also resource implications on the mosques, in terms of manpower and in terms of resources to organise and make sure that the larger numbers are managed safely. So we will do it in a gradual manner if there's a need,” Mr Esa said.

So far, about 85,000 congregants have attended Friday prayers since congregational and other worship services resumed from June 26 in the second phase of Singapore’s economic reopening after stay-home restrictions to stem the spread of the coronavirus. 

When mosques reopened, Muis advised congregants aged 60 and older against visiting, as seniors are more vulnerable to the disease. 

In light of the improving coronavirus situation, however, seniors wishing to do so may return to the mosques for religious activities but are advised to take the necessary health precautions, Muis said. 

Seniors who are unwell, those with symptoms of acute respiratory infection and chronic medical conditions, as well as children below 12 are strongly encouraged to refrain from visiting mosques and to perform their prayers at home.

Muis said: “Although there were a few cases of asymptomatic Covid-19-positive individuals visiting mosques, because of the safe management measures in place and the responsible behaviour of congregants, no clusters developed and no virus transmissions have been detected." 

It added: “As we scale up congregation sizes, Muis emphasises that there is still a need for all safe-distancing procedures, contact tracing and the online booking system to manage repeat bookings, and continues to encourage use of the TraceTogether app.”