PUTRAJAYA: Hundreds congregated at the Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin Mosque here this morning for the start of the day-long World #QuranHour and Merdeka #QuranHour programme.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Wuquf in Arafah, Mecca today, which is the 9th day of Zulhijjah in the Islamic calendar, and which coincides with Merdeka.
The programme also marks Hari Raya Aidiladha, which falls tomorrow.
Despite the public holiday, some 300 people joined in prayers today.
The congregation recited the Surah Yasin for one hour, headed by the mosque's management deputy director Ustaz Ahmad Rijal Ghazali.
The World #QuranHour will begin at 8.30pm at Dataran Merdeka and selected mosques nationwide today.
For one hour, simultaneous Quranic recitations will be held to encourage reading, understanding and discussions of the Holy Scripture.
The Quran-reading marathon is expected to draw 5,000 participants, as well as non-Muslim tourists, at Dataran Merdeka.
Media Prima Bhd Group is the official media partner of the programme.