Friday sermons at Singapore mosques temporarily shortened due to hot weather, haze
Instead of the usual six to seven pages for the first sermon, it will be under four pages for now.
Singapore's Islamic Religious Council announced on August 21 that Friday prayer sermons at mosques would be shortened due to hot weather and haze. The usual six to seven pages of the first sermon will now be limited to under four pages. MUIS explained their decision in a social media post, stating it would help make worship more comfortable during these challenging weather conditions.
The shortened sermons will remain in effect until further notice. The Office of the Mufti, under the guidance of the highest Islamic authority in Singapore, writes the Friday prayer sermons. The first Friday prayer sermon, given during Zohor, usually takes place slightly after 1pm. Temperatures in Singapore are expected to range from 33 degrees Celsius to 34 degrees Celsius for most days in the second fortnight of August, with a few days potentially reaching a high of 35 degrees Celsius.
Nighttime temperatures are also likely to remain warm and humid, with temperatures above 27 degrees Celsius. Dry conditions are anticipated to persist, and smoke plumes from fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan may bring hazy conditions to Singapore if the fires worsen. As of August 21, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index in Singapore ranged between 60 and 74, which falls in the moderate range. The one-hour PM2.5 readings were within the normal band, indicating the current air quality.
Written by urgent.news from Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
