Muslim men to be fined for missing Friday prayers in Malaysian state
Authorities in Terengganu state, which is governed by the conservative Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), announced on Monday that offenders will face a prison sentence or up to RM 3,000 (£525) in fines, or both, under the Shariah Criminal Offences (Takzir) Enactment law.
Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi, a member of the Terengganu State Executive Council, warned that missing Friday prayers even once would be a punishable offence.
Previously, only those who failed to attend three consecutive Friday prayers were penalised.
'This reminder is important because Friday prayers are not only a religious symbol but also an expression of obedience among Muslims,' he said, according to Malaysian newspaper Berita Harian.
'Therefore, punishment will only be imposed as a last resort if reminders are ignored by those who neglect this obligation.'
The state government will display banners at mosques to remind people of their obligation to perform the Friday prayers, he said, adding that the campaign was intended to raise public awareness of the law.
He also warned that action against men missing prayers could be taken through public reports or via patrols.
The enforcement in Terengganu reflects a broader push by PAS to implement stricter interpretations of Islamic law in Malaysia.
The party, Malaysia's largest in parliament and the governing party in four of the country's 13 states, has long advocated harsher religious penalties and once sought to introduce a criminal code known as hudud, which includes punishments such as amputations for theft and stoning for adultery.
The announcement triggered backlash on social media. "So much for no compulsion in Islam, or a reflection of how little Terengganu men pray their Friday prayers," Azira Aziz, a lawyer, wrote on X.
"No one disagrees that Friday prayers are wajib [obligatory], I just think it's unnecessary to be codified as law as a crime/offence. Advocacy and awareness programs would've been sufficient," she added.
Malaysia has a dual-track legal system, with Shariah covering personal and family matters for Muslims, alongside civil laws. Ethnic Malays – all of whom are considered Muslim in Malaysian law – make up two-thirds of Malaysia's 33 million people, with large Chinese and Indian minorities.
Shariah is Islamic law, based on the Quran and a set of scriptures known as the hadith.
Last November, Johor state's top Islamic official said that state would also carry out enforcement measures to make sure all Muslim men attend the Friday prayer.
Malaysia's top court in February 2024 struck down over a dozen Shariah-based state laws, triggering backlash from Islamists who fear it could undermine religious courts across the country.
The 16 laws made by the opposition-run Kelantan state government imposed punishments for offences like sodomy, sexual harassment, incest, cross-dressing and giving false evidence.
The court said that the state could not make Islamic laws on those topics because they are covered by Malaysian federal law. The PAS had then staged massive protests outside the court, calling for the protection of Shariah laws.
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