Mosques to remain open for daily, Friday prayers, with haze-related precautions in place: MUIS

SINGAPORE – Mosques here will remain open, with prayer arrangements possibly adjusted according to the prevailing haze conditions, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) said on Oct 12.

In a media release on Oct 12 on haze preparedness measures across mosques, madrasahs and mosque-based kindergartens, MUIS said congregants will still be able to go to mosques for daily and Friday congregational prayers, but non-essential outdoor programmes there will be stopped if the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index enters the “very unhealthy” range of 201 to 300.

Prayer arrangements may also be adjusted according to prevailing haze conditions, available indoor facilities and national health advisories, MUIS added, with mosques issued haze preparedness guidelines.

This comes after the haze task force issued an update on Oct 9, in which it announced, among other measures, that N95 masks will be distributed to selected groups of Singaporeans when air quality hits “very unhealthy” levels.

Congregants should minimise prolonged outdoor exposure, especially for the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, MUIS advised.

Full-time madrasahs and mosque-based kindergartens have been advised to implement haze management measures that are aligned with advisories issued by the Ministry of Education and Early Childhood Development Agency.

These measures include adjustments to outdoor activities, appropriate indoor arrangements and monitoring the well-being of students and staff.

MUIS said it will “continue to monitor the haze situation closely and work with relevant government agencies to review and adjust its measures as necessary.”