Umno vice-president Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said today the Penang government should have referred to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong the "fatwa" (edict) prohibiting mosques and suraus in the state from using loudspeakers for reading Quranic verses before the dawn prayers.  

NONE The state government should have referred the matter to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in his capacity as the head of the Islamic religion, he said.

The edict was issued by the state fatwa council which felt that such a practice could disturb other people, either within or outside the mosque compound.

"I am most saddened by the fatwa issued by the council when no study had been made on the matter by the National Fatwa Council," he told reporters in Bagan Datoh.

Ahmad Zahid said the matter would not have cropped up if the state government had been sensitive to issues pertaining to the Islamic religion.

Berita Harian had yesterday quoted a Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIPP) circular directing all mosques and suraus in the state to stop using loudspeakers for the reading of Quranic verses before the dawn prayers as this could go against the syariah law and could disturb other people inside and outside these places of worship.

- Bernama

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That which is not azan should not be broadcast