SUCH was one of the suggestions proffered after Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah did not consent for surau/musolla in shopping malls across his state to hold Friday prayers for now.
According to the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS), the Selangor ruler was concerned that the act of allowing surau/musolla in shopping malls to conduct Friday prayers would undermine efforts to preserve and strengthen the role of mosques as the primary centres of worship for Muslims.
Delving further, MAIS chairman Datuk Salehuddin Saidin contended that such a move could lead to a decline in the number of congregants at existing mosques and surau authorised to hold Friday prayers as Muslims would have the option to perform the prayers at surau/musolla in shopping malls.
“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,” he justified in a statement accessible on the Selangor Royal Office Facebook page.
As it is, Sultan Sharafuddin opinion is tantamount to a decree as he is the head of Islam and Malay customs in Selangor.
The idea to perform Friday prayers at shopping malls came about after Religious Affairs Minister Dr Zulkifli Hasan welcomed states across the country to hold Friday prayers at shopping malls following the positive response to the initiative at several locations in the Federal Territories.
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Zulkifli said the initiative was first introduced in the Federal Territories through a collaboration between the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) as it falls under the jurisdiction of the two agencies.
“So far, Friday prayers have been held at several shopping malls, including IOI City Mall, Alamanda Shopping Centre and Suria KLCC while discussions are underway to expand the initiative to several other locations,” he told the media last weekend (July 5).
“As for the states, we encourage and welcome any state to join us. Insya-Allah, I believe this good initiative will receive a positive response.”
While Muslims and non-Muslims alike generally hailed the Selangor ruler’s wisdom, there was this seemingly popular view in the Berita Harian Online’s Facebook post which insinuated that perhaps Selangor should contemplate making Friday a weekend to accommodate the obligation of Muslims.
“The Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah Sultans have made Friday a holiday to facilitate Muslims in their Friday prayers as well as to magnify Friday,” mooted this seemingly opposition-slant netizen. “May Allah protect the Terengganu, Kelantan and Kedah Sultans”.
For the record, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu are the Malaysian states that currently observe Friday as a weekend. In these states, the official work-week runs from Sunday to Thursday with Friday and Saturday designated as the official weekend.
While Johor previously observed a Friday-Saturday weekend, the state officially transitioned to a Saturday-Sunday weekend effective January 1, 2025 to align with global markets and the private sector.
All other states and federal territories in Malaysia observe a Saturday and Sunday weekend.
Thankfully, a seemingly pious commenter begged to differ in that while Friday is indeed a glorious day in Islam, “the glory of Friday is not necessarily measured by making it a holiday (non-work day)”.
“In fact, Allah SWT himself provides guidance in Surah al-Jumuah verses 9-10. In verse 9, Muslims are commanded to leave business when the Friday call to prayer is heard and to hasten to perform the Friday prayer,” he shared.
Then in verse 10, Allah SWT says: “Then after the prayer is finished, disperse throughout the land (to carry out your respective affairs) and seek the bounty of Allah.”
This verse clearly shows that after completing Friday prayers, Muslims are encouraged to return to their daily activities and seek sustenance while continuing to remember Allah.
Therefore, the glory of Friday doesn’t lie in a full day off but in fulfilling its shariah requirements such as attending Friday prayers, increasing dhikr, prayers, salawat, reading the Quran and doing good deeds.
Working after Friday prayers doesn’t diminish the glory of the day and in fact, there is no specific holiday in Islam.
Even such view that making Friday is a rest day is unnecessary courted opposition with some claiming that “enforcement is lax as certain companies don’t provide adequate time-off for (male) Muslim staff to perform Friday prayers”.
Others simply felt that having the entire Friday off would mean “a sense of relief to go to the mosque instead of having to rush there in a sweating manner till some Friday sunnahs are being overlooked”. – July 9, 2026
