Celebrating Hari Raya Aidiladha in Phase 3 (Heightened Alert)

1. As announced by Mufti, we will be welcoming Hari Raya Aidiladha on 20 July. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Singapore Muslim community has made important sacrifices and adjustments, and has acted very responsibly to protect ourselves and the wider community from the virus. This includes significantly scaling down celebrations over Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha over the past 2 years.

2. This has been instrumental in reducing the risk of transmission arising from religious activities. As we celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha this year, it is important that we continue to uphold such civic responsibility to keep our loved ones, especially our elderly, safe.

3. With the recent drastic increase in community spread of COVID-19, important measures are being implemented to help our community celebrate safely with their loved ones. We urge vulnerable individuals, especially the elderly who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19, to stay home as much as possible over the next few weeks.

4. We also urge all who have yet to be vaccinated to do so, as it is safe and protects you and your loved ones. Seniors (60 years old and above) can already walk into any vaccination centre, participating PHPC or polyclinic with their NRIC/FIN to get vaccinated. Those who are home-bound due to mobility issues can reach out to the Silver Generation Office to arrange for vaccination to be done in their homes.

The morning of Hari Raya Aidiladha

5. On the morning of Hari Raya, mosques will conduct congregational Hari Raya prayers with the full safe management measures in place. A total of 19 mosques will offer more than 100 spaces for congregants who are fully vaccinated or have undergone Pre-Event Testing (PET). Forty-seven other mosques will offer a single zone of 50 congregants.

6. As the community is aware, congregational prayer should be done in demarcated safe zones in mosques with valid bookings. Alternatively, one can also pray in congregation at home with family members.

7. Hari Raya Prayer and Aidiladha sermon will also be shown live at SalamSG TV for those who are unable to book a slot for Hari Raya prayer at the mosque.

8. MUIS has made available religious resources at www.muslim.SG for those who are conducting Hari Raya prayers at home with their families. Various other resources on Aidiladha, such as article on the meaning of sacrifices and guide to performing takbir and other sunnah for Hari Raya, will also be available at the website.

Hari Raya period

9. With regard to social gatherings, it is important to remind ourselves of the prevailing national Safe Management Measures that are in place, as well as other best practices which we have all been observing. These include:

a. Limit social gatherings or home visitations to no more than 2 per day

b. Households should receive no more than 5 unique visitors each day

c. Limit number of non-burial visits (ziarah kubur) to 5 persons

d. Avoid shaking of hands - Practise the 'Salam Mufti', where one places their hand close to their hearts as a greeting

e. Keep masks on when visiting relatives and friends in their homes, when not consuming food and drink 

f. Avoid sharing of food with others, and consuming individual portions 

g. Stay home if unwell, and see a doctor to get tested when sick; and 

h. Avoid going to crowded places, and stay home where possible

Korban

10. Like last year, no livestock will be imported into Singapore. Instead, mosques are facilitating arrangements for the ritual to be performed in Australia, with the meat to be chilled and subsequently transported to Singapore.

11. This year’s korban will feature a more extended distribution period (from Hari Raya Haji to mid-August). Standard operating procedures for distribution will be adopted, including observing high hygiene standards and staggering distribution and collection slots, following strictly prevailing national safety measures and guidelines.

Conclusion

10. MUIS will continue to monitor the situation and provide further updates. We thank the community for its patience and cooperation and let us continue to remain vigilant to keep Singapore safe. We fully empathise with the difficulty adjustments that the community has had to make over the past two years and pray that the situation will further improve so that more religious and social activities can resume safely.

Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura