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Ramadan Mubarak’s traditional Muslim greeting, or Happy Ramadan, will wait one more day after the moon has not been seen on Thursday night.
This means that the holy month will start on Saturday in South Africa.
Three members of the Crescent Observers Society were authorized to visit the Three Anchor Bay boardwalk on Cape Town’s Atlantic coast to search for the moon in the skies.
It takes a traditional period of several minutes to walk through the darkness and glimpse the moon in dim light, heralding the official start of Ramadan.
Over a period of 30 days, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. During this time, they should refrain from drinking and eating. Charity is also encouraged during this holy month when the Koran is believed to have been revealed.
COVID-19
But the holy month of 2020 will not be ordinary due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.
The World Health Organization (WHO) warned last week: “To mitigate the impact on public health, several countries have implemented physical distancing measures aimed at interrupting transmission by reducing interaction between people.
“These measures are fundamental control mechanisms to control the spread of infectious diseases, particularly respiratory infections associated with large gatherings of people.”
“Physical distancing measures, including the closure of mosques, monitoring of public gatherings and other movement restrictions, will have direct implications for the central social and religious gatherings of Ramadan.”
In particular, the pandemic’s restrictions are likely to affect traditional daily gatherings during Ramadan, such as eating before sunrise, known as suhour, or breaking the fast once the sun has set, in iftar.
Crowded meetings
Shortly after the outbreak of the crisis in South Africa, the Muslim Judicial Council said: “We echo the call of the state president that all components of our society must play a role and work together to combat this pandemic.”
In its notice to Muslims around the world, the WHO advised: “To avoid the crowded gathering associated with iftar banquets, consider using pre-packaged food boxes / servings. These can be organized by centralized entities and institutions, which should adhere to physical distance throughout the cycle [collecting, packaging, storing and distribution].
“There have been no studies on fasting and the risk of Covid-19 infection. Healthy people should be able to fast during this Ramadan as in previous years, while Covid-19 patients may consider religious licenses to break the fast on consult your doctors, as they would with any other disease.
“Despite the different execution in the practices this year, it is important to assure the faithful that they can still reflect, improve, pray, share and care, all from a healthy distance.
Measurements
“It is necessary to keep in mind that family, friends and the elderly are still involved in light of physical distancing; it is essential to encourage alternative and digital platforms for interaction. Offer special prayers for the sick, along with messages of hope and comfort They are methods of observing Ramadan tenants while maintaining public health, “the WHO said.
The following additional measures should be considered:
- Make sure hand-washing facilities are adequately equipped with soap and water and provide an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (at least 70% alcohol) at the entrance and inside mosques.
- Ensure availability of disposable tissues and containers with disposable bags and lids, and ensure the safe disposal of waste.
- Encourage the use of personal prayer rugs to place over rugs.
- Provide visualizations of tips on physical distance, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, and general Covid-19 prevention messages.
- Enforce routine cleaning of places where people gather before and after each event, using detergents and disinfectants.
- In mosques, keep wudu premises and facilities clean and maintain general hygiene and sanitation.
- Frequently clean frequently touched objects such as door knobs, light switches, and stair rails with detergents and disinfectants.
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