Jakim director-general Othman Mustapha said the prayer should be organised to seek rain in order to overcome the drought, to be spared from the effects of extreme heat and for weather conditions to return to normal.

“I have requested the major mosques under the supervision of Jakim, namely the National Mosque, Masjid Putra and Masjid Mizan Zainal Abidin, as well as all mosques and Friday prayer suraus under the purview of the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department, to perform Solat Istisqa.

“In addition, I seek the cooperation and goodwill of all the state Islamic religious councils and religious departments in Malaysia to hold Solat Istisqa in all mosques and suraus under their jurisdiction,” he said in a statement here today.

The current hot spell in the country caused by heat waves and the El Nino phenomenon, is expected to last until June.

– BERNAMA