Istiqlal Mosque extends the temporary restriction for Friday's Prayer. (Image via The Jakarta Post)

Istiqlal extends Friday's prayer restriction to 19 April

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Sports & Culture
Religion
Apr 04, 2020
2058
The Istiqlal Mosque in Central Jakarta extended the “No Friday’s Prayer” period in order to tackle the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the capital of Indonesia. Speaking on Thursday night, the head of Public Relations of the Istiqlal, Abu Hurairah, stated that the Mosque has extended the restriction period to two more weeks until 19 April 2020.

Previously, the members of the Istiqlal Mosque have been restricting Friday’s Prayer for the past two weeks, from 19 March to 26 March. The decision came after the instruction of the Great Imam of Istiqlal, Nasaruddin Umar, referring to the Decision of the Jakarta Governor to suppress the outbreak of the pandemic on the land.

And per Friday, Istiqlal decided to extend the period of the decision by not holding the Friday’s Prayer for the next two weeks, following the growing intensity of the COVID-19 outbreak in Jakarta.

Reportedly, since the pandemic entered Indonesia on 2 March 2020, the number of the positive cases in Jakarta has reached 855, the biggest from any other Indonesian regions. From the number, 90 died and 53 recovered.

Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) also released a fatwa regarding the Friday’s Prayer amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The fatwa stated that Friday’s Prayer is not allowed temporarily and it could be substituted by Dhuhr Prayer until the pandemic has passed by.

After the pandemic has entered Indonesia starting Jakarta, all religious sites in Indonesia are temporarily closed. All people were instructed to pray at their houses.

Source: https://bit.ly/39E3MH5

Religion , Regulation , Culture , Islam , ASEAN , Indonesia , Istiqlal , Jakarta , COVID-19