Muslims In Pattani Perform First Friday Prayers

PATTANI,  May 15 (Bernama) -- Muslims in the Pattani province in south Thailand here performed their first Friday prayers since it was prohibited on March 27. A total of 180 mosques in the province were given permission by the Pattani Muslim Council (MAIP) to conduct Friday prayers today. Maip president Wae Deramae Mat Mingchik said the mosques which were rejected did not meet the conditions and rules set by the Office of the Sheikul Islam Thailand. He said this included required members of the congregation to wear masks, to perform ablution at home and to bring their own prayer mats. “The mosques should only have one entrance opened to conduct body temperature screening on the public who come in. It must also provide hand sanitisers at the entrance. “All members of the congregation must also practice social distancing of between 1.5 to two metres,” he told Bernama. He added that anyone wanting to perform the Friday congregational prayers must also register thems. Children under the age of 10 and those with body temperatures higher than 35.7 degrees Celcius are not permitted to pray in the mosque, he said. At the Masjid Jamek Pattani, about 800 Muslims performed the Friday prayers since the ban was imposed on March 27 to curb the spread of  COVID-19. On May 3, Sheikhul Islam Thailand Aziz Phitakkumpon announced that Muslims in Thailand were allowed to perform the Friday prayers. He said Islamic religious councils in each province and the imam in the mosques and surau must discuss this matter and obtain permission to conduct the Friday prayers. However, congregational tarawikh prayers and break-of-fast meals in mosques and surau  are still not allowed. On May 8, Muslims in Songkhla in south  Thailand have been banned from performing the Friday prayers. Muslims in other parts of South Thailand, -  Yala and Narathiwat have still been banned from performing Friday prayers as the number of COVID-10 passages in the province was still rising. -- BERNAMA