Prayer on the roadway is unacceptable, and respect must be shown to other road users, stated Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims (the Muftiate) in response to a December 6 incident in Almaty, KazTAG reports.
On that day, the number of worshippers attending Friday prayers exceeded the capacity of Almaty’s Central Mosque, leading some to pray on M. Mametova Street. This caused traffic congestion and violations of traffic regulations.
“The primary reason for prohibiting prayer on the road is to prevent disruptions to traffic. Ambulances, fire trucks, or people hurrying to work may need to use the roadway. Blocking a street for even five minutes for prayer creates traffic jams and obstructs the flow of vehicles,” the Muftiate noted.
Sources from Orda.kz within law enforcement reported that following the incident, four police officers responsible for maintaining order near the mosque were dismissed. Some participants in the roadside prayer were detained, and among them may be foreign nationals.
Kazakhstan’s National Security Committee is investigating the circumstances surrounding the event, including the possibility of provocation. Orda.kz emphasized that such mass prayers on the road are unusual in Almaty, even during major religious holidays like Kurban Ait and Oraza Ait.
