KUALA LUMPUR: Friday prayers at a key mosque in the Malaysian capital were disrupted after a man, reported to be from Kashmir, slapped the imam during prayers today.
According to the police the incident took place at the National Mosque when Imam Mohammad Zuhairee Mohd Yatim, was slapped by a Kashmiri , during the first Rakaat of Friday prayers.
The Royal Malaysian police confirmed that the 31-year-old suspect was from Kashmir, India.
The suspect was detained by the mosque security guards as he tried to flee the scene.
According to the National Mosque deputy grand imam Ustaz Yusof Ahmad, the man was first seen moving in between prayer rows before slapping Zuhairee, who led the prayers.
The incident took place during the first rakaat when the imam was reading the Fatihah. A man, lunged forward and slapped the imam. “I thought the imam forgot his prayer lines. I don’t know from where this man came, and suddenly slapped the imam,” he told reporters.
The suspect then ran, shouting in what is believed to be Indian language, before tripping over a tripod and falling down.
He was later taken to the Tun HS Lee police station for further investigation.
According to police, preliminary investigation found that the suspect was of unsound mind as he was seen speaking to himself.
The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) urged for action to be taken against the individual who slapped Masjid Negara imam Zuhairee and interrupted Friday prayers today.
Its chairman, Datuk Othman Mustapha, said Jakim was deeply appalled by the incident and asked investigations to be conducted immediately.
As this involves safety issues, Masjid Negara have issued a police report and handed the case over to the authorities for further investigations.
Othman also denied allegations that the incident might have been instigated by the content of the Friday sermons.
Jakim hopes that no such rumours on this matter be spread.
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