IPOH: Mosques must move beyond rigid and outdated paradigms to become centres of excellence for the Muslim community, says Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
The Perak Sultan said mosques should not be seen merely as places of worship or limited to religious classes, but should serve as vibrant hubs for education, the cultivation of both worldly and spiritual knowledge, family counselling, youth engagement, and social and economic development.
He emphasised that all 700 mosques and 1,773 suraus in the state should not remain underutilised but should become spaces to nurture values, identity and communal harmony.
“Mosques should be activated as engines of economic progress, intellectual growth and socio-cultural advancement, offering programmes that engage all age groups from preschool children to students and youth. Mosque committees must not turn a deaf ear to issues affecting the community, nor should congregants remain indifferent to the challenges confronting their communities,” said Sultan Nazrin.
“In this way, mosques can reclaim their rightful role as dynamic institutions at the heart of society,” he added.
The Perak Ruler made these remarks in his royal speech during the presentation of appointment instruments to MAIPk committee members for the 2026-2027 term, Syariah Court judges and Mosque Consultative Council members at the Royal Perak Golf Club here on Thursday (Dec 18).
Sultan Nazrin said mosque committee members must think expansively and enable mosques to operate with greater dynamism, freeing their minds from narrow constraints and inherited legacies that once confined the mosque’s role to ritual worship.
“Mosques must remain attentive to their surroundings and responsive to contemporary challenges facing the Muslim community,” he said, adding that mosques should also help address three critical areas: food security, environmental stewardship and promoting a healthier lifestyle.
