Friday prayer held at Dharumavantha Mosque despite imam

Friday prayer has been held at Dharumavantha Mosque, despite the arrest some days ago of the unauthorised imam who had been leading prayers at this mosque.

Police said earlier that the 34-year-old local male was arrested for violating the laws and regulations on religious solidarity, failing to obtain the authorisation for imams from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, pretending to be an imam and leading Friday prayers by forming a separate congregation at Dharumavantha Mosque, and encouraging religious strife in the society.

Police said today that no one else has been arrested for joining the prayer at Dharumavantha Mosque, and that the reports that some people who joined the prayer today were arrested, are untrue.

Sun Online understands that today's prayer at Dharumavantha Mosque was led by opposition activists.

Dharumavantha Mosque is not included in the list of mosques in Male’ permitted to hold Friday prayer. Moreover, the imams who deliver sermons at this mosque are not authorised by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.