MERSING, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The relatively small population is among the factors affecting congregational attendance and the management of Masjid Tanjung Resang here, as recently circulated on Facebook and WhatsApp.
Mersing Member of Parliament, who is also a resident of the village, Muhammad Islahuddin Abas, said the mosque management had always been actively organising various activities, including religious talks, lectures and Yasin recitations.
“The situation here is that although there are many houses, the population is small as many residents have left for work while some have moved elsewhere. However, the weekly programmes continue as usual,” he told reporters at the mosque here today.
Earlier, a 15-second video circulated on Facebook showing only one congregant performing prayers and claiming that the man also served as the imam and bilal, raising questions about the management and activities of the mosque.
Muhammad Islahuddin said he was also surprised when he received a screenshot concerning the issue, which was shared by his friend in Kuala Lumpur via WhatsApp.
However, he described the viral issue as having a silver lining, as it had indirectly introduced the mosque to people from outside the area.
He said the mosque’s somewhat ‘hidden’ location off the main road meant that many people, including district residents, were unaware of its existence.
“For me, this mosque is visitor-friendly, including for non-Muslims, and serves as a ‘checkpoint’ for those hiking Gunung Arong, with facilities provided for their convenience,” he said.
Meanwhile, mosque chairman Abdul Syamil Abdul Fadzil said he had been contacted by a representative of the Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JAINJ) regarding the viral video.
“I have explained the actual situation, and the department is well aware of the situation of the congregation here. Moreover, the video showed the mosque’s noja (assistant) performing a voluntary prayer.
“The video does not reflect the actual situation at this mosque at all, as various religious activities continue to be held regularly,” he said.
-- BERNAMA