SEREMBAN: Masjid Kariah Pantai will perform a solat hajat (special prayers) after Friday prayers tomorrow for the safe return of Irish teenager Nora Anne Quoirin, who went missing from a resort near here five days ago.
Mosque imam Kahar Sukin, 73, said the fact that the 15-year-old teenager was non-Muslim was irrelevant as there was no restriction in Islam against that.
“We will perform the prayers in the name of humanity.
“We symphatise with what had happened, especially as she is a teen with special needs,” he added.
Kahar, who has been the imam of the mosque for 12 years, said on the first day that Nora went missing, he was called by the authorities to perform the azan or call to prayer at the resort where Nora and her family had been staying for their holidays.
“I went there after Asar prayers in efforts to find the girl,” he added.
Kahar said Nora’s disappearance was the first of its kind in the area.
“I was born here and not once have I heard such a case like this before. In previous cases, the authorities were able to find the victim eventually, but not in Nora’s case,” he added.
On whether Nora’s disappearance had anything to do with supernatural entities as claimed by residents, Kahar didn’t rule out the possibility.
“It’s normal to hear such stories when someone goes missing.
“But it’s best we continue to pray for her safety.
“Hopefully, she will be found soon,” he added.
Nora was reported missing on Aug 4, a day after she arrived at the resort with her parents and two siblings.
Her mysterious disappearance has prompted the authorities to launch a search-and-rescue (SAR) operation in the area.
However, the operation, which entered its fifth day today, has yet to meet with success.