KUALA LUMPUR – Worshippers at a mosque in Johor who broke their fast three minutes early due to an erroneous azan (call to prayer) must replace an entire day of fasting, as it is considered void, state religious authorities said.
State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid said the mistake occurred when the bilal on duty called the azan without checking the mosque’s clock, which was set according to the standard issued by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia (SIRIM).
An internal review confirmed that only those present at the mosque had broken their fast prematurely.
“There were activities at the mosque that day, and only those in attendance were affected,” Mohd Fared said.
“My advice to them is to replace their fast, as it is void. I also urge bilals across the state to be more careful to prevent such mistakes from happening again,” he told reporters after the Ihya Ramadan Programme at Sekawan Desa Jamek Mosque in Batu Pahat last night.
Mohd Fared attributed the incident to human error and emphasised the importance of using accurate timekeeping devices.
“We have instructed all suraus and mosques to rely on the SIRIM Malaysia clock for prayer times instead of personal clocks or watches,” he added.
On March 25, Kluang District Kadi As-Syeikh Sabarudin Isnin expressed his disappointment on social media after learning that a mosque had mistakenly called the Maghrib azan three minutes ahead of schedule, requiring worshippers who followed it to replace a full day of fasting. – March 29, 2025