Malaysia’s Terengganu state has warned it will start fully enforcing a sharia law enabling the imprisonment of Muslim men for up to two years if they skip Friday prayers without a valid reason – a move widely seen as emblematic of the multicultural country’s tilt towards religious conservatism.
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Terengganu, governed by the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS), declared on Monday that first-time offenders could now face not only imprisonment but also a fine of up to 3,000 ringgit (US$710), or both, if they fail to attend the weekly congregational Jummah prayer without a legitimate excuse.
“This reminder is important because Friday prayers are not only a religious symbol but also an expression of obedience among Muslims,” Muhammad Khalil Abdul Hadi, a member of the state’s executive council whose portfolio spans information, preaching and sharia empowerment, told local daily Berita Harian.
Previously, only those who missed three consecutive Friday prayers were apparently subject to penalties.
Monday’s announcement reflects a tightening of religious enforcement in Muslim-majority Terengganu, which, along with neighbouring Kelantan, forms the political heartland of the Islamist PAS and its push for harsher punishment of religious offences.
With a population of 1.2 million – predominantly Malay Muslims – Terengganu is the only Malaysian state with no opposition in its legislative assembly, having elected PAS to all 32 seats in 2022. This political monopoly provides a base that the party hopes to build upon ahead of Malaysia’s next general election, which is due within two years.
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Islam is enshrined as the official state religion by Malaysia’s constitution, which grants states the authority to legislate on Islamic matters within a narrow scope of personal and family law. But at the same time, the constitution’s secular foundation underpins Malaysia’s pluralistic society.