Selangor Sultan Withholds Consent for Mall Friday Prayers

SHAH ALAM, July 8 — The Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, has declined to grant consent for surau and musolla located within shopping complexes across the state to conduct Friday prayers for the time being.

The ruler’s decision was made public today by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS). Explaining the royal decree, MAIS Chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin stated that the policy centers directly on preserving the structural role and sanctity of traditional mosques as the foundational centers of worship for the local Muslim community.

Salehuddin noted that opening up alternative mass prayer options in commercial centers could dilute congregation numbers at existing, dedicated Islamic institutions.

“At present, there are 448 mosques and 379 surau in Selangor that have been authorised to conduct Friday prayers. This indicates that the existing mosques and surau are sufficient to accommodate the state’s Muslim population. In addition, there are also mosques and surau located near shopping malls, making it convenient for the public to perform Friday prayers,” Salehuddin said in a statement.

The council highlighted that the decree aligns with Islamic principles of promoting unity by keeping mainstream mosques central to civic life, education, and missionary work (dakwah). Administratively, MAIS raised concerns over the governance of commercial prayer spaces, noting that managing these spaces presents logistical challenges regarding the regulatory screening, appointment, and oversight of religious officers like imams and bilals.

“If the personnel serving surau authorised to conduct Friday prayers in shopping malls are not appointed by MAIS, it would create difficulties in monitoring and overseeing the management of the surau or musolla, including ensuring compliance with and uniformity in the Friday sermon prepared by MAIS,” Salehuddin added.

While one shopping mall surau in Selangor currently holds an exceptional approval to host Friday congregation, the council clarified that the exemption is strictly temporary due to a complete absence of public mosques in its immediate vicinity. This approval will be withdrawn once local infrastructure catches up to accommodate the community.

The declaration serves as a direct response to a recent federal proposal by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs), Dr Zulkifli Hasan, who encouraged states to expand Friday prayer access to commercial malls following trials in the Federal Territories.

MAIS emphasized that under the Ninth Schedule of the Federal Constitution, Islamic administration remains an absolute state prerogative rather than a federal one. Under Section 97 of the Administration of the Religion of Islam (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003, no building in Selangor may be utilized for public Islamic worship without prior written authorization from MAIS.

-NMT