All religious activities at mosques - including Friday prayer  will be suspended until March 31 in Perak to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Islamic Religious Council and Malay Customs Perak, Tan Sri Datuk Sri Wan Mohd Zahid Mohd Noordin said the decision was made after obtaining the consent of the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah Muizzuddin and taking into account the advice of the Ministry of Health (MOH).

He said the Perak State Fatwa Committee had held an emergency meeting on March 14, 2020, specifically to discuss the situation of the coronary artery (Covid-19) outbreak.

"Majlis Agama Islam dan Adat Melayu Perak agreed not to offer prayers in congregation Maghrib starting on March 17 until March 31, 2020 evening prayers and the Friday prayer in the relevant period in all mosques and surau in the state.

"Mosques, surau, and musala located in areas where there have been cases of Covid-19 positive patients should be closed until the cleanup and disinfection work is completed and only allowed to re-use after obtaining written permission from the Ministry of Health Malaysia," he said.

However, he said in a statement that Friday prayers should be replaced by Zohor prayers at their homes.

He added that all religious classes, lectures, and studies at mosques, surau, and musala were also canceled to minimize exposure.

“Only the officiating mosque officers (a priest, a bilal and a siak) are present to fulfill the chanting of the azan and to fulfill the requirements of fardu kifayah to complete the prayer in the congregation at one of the prayers.

"A cry of praise will be performed in the mosque in lieu of a solemn expression of hay'alatain to the Prayer in your house, based on the history of al-Bukhari (668) and Muslim (699) from Ibn 'Abbas RA," he said.