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Muslims around the world will observe the holy month of Ramadan under closure and strict restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak that has paralyzed entire countries.
Ramadan is the holiest month for Muslims, where they fast during the day, gather together to pray, and share meals as a community.
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But with strict curfews and physical distancing directives to limit the spread of the highly contagious disease COVID-19, many of Ramadan’s rituals and traditions will be curtailed this year.
“I can’t recall anything like this happening before,” Moiz Faizal Musa, a researcher at the Malaysian Institute of the World and Civilization (ATMA) at the National University of Malaysia, told Al Jazeera.
“There was a Second World War or natural disaster, but from past literature, historical texts, and various archives, I found that Muslims still met during Ramadan, despite war or disaster, and still observed their religious rituals together.
“However, this time we face a different enemy. It can be ruthless and invisible.”
How will fasting be different?
During the holy month, Muslims get up early to eat a pre-dawn meal called suhoor, and break their fast after sunset with a meal called iftar.
Breaking the fast is usually a community matter. It is common for mosques to house large iftars, especially for the poor.
Due to the pandemic, which has spread to 185 nations, this year many countries have advised citizens to avoid large gatherings and to have suhoor and iftar individually or with the family at home.
In Egypt, all Ramadan activities, including group iftars and charity tables, are prohibited.
Egypt has banned setting up iftar tables around mosques to feed the poor [File: Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters]
The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised using virtual alternatives, where possible, for social and religious gatherings.
Month-long Ramadan bazaars with stalls selling food, drinks and clothing, usually crowded places, are not allowed in Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.
Rozana Isa, director of the Malaysian-based Sisters in Islam group, said this will have a major economic impact on small businesses and single mothers, who rely heavily on this source of income.
Meanwhile, as food consumption generally increases in Ramadan, there is concern that panic purchases and supplies will run out amid blockages.
The patterns of physical distancing will also dampen the spirit of Ramadan, Rozana told Al Jazeera.
“[On] This time we have to practice physical detachment, not greet each other the way we usually greet hugging our fellow Muslims or shaking hands, this will definitely have an impact on the spirit, “he said.
Can people pray together?
Congregational prayers are prohibited in several countries, and many mosques have been temporarily closed.
Jordan has suspended the special night of tarawih prayers in mosques, urging citizens to offer them at home.
In Iran, one of the most affected nations in the region, the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has also called on people to avoid collective prayers.
Friday prayers in front of the Omar Binu Katab mosque, as the spread of COVID-19 continues in the Hodan district of Mogadishu, Somalia [File: Feisal Omar/Reuters]
In the Malaysian state of Selangor, the sultan suspended religious activities in mosques until at least May 31.
“The religious authorities are definitely encouraging people to do their five daily prayers at home, and I think it really is within the family to instill that spirit of reunion and prayer. [as a group]”Rozana said.
In Saudi Arabia, although pilgrims are not allowed in the two holy mosques of Mecca and Medina, King Salman has allowed Tarawih’s prayers.
Meanwhile, Pakistan will also allow congregational prayers in mosques during Ramadan, but worshipers must keep a distance of two meters (six feet) from each other and are encouraged to bring their own prayer mats.
In the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem, which will be closed to Muslim worshipers throughout Ramadan, the call to prayer will continue to take place five times a day, and religious workers allowed entry.
Mosques in the UK and elsewhere will broadcast live sermons, Quranic recitations, and prayers.
Muslims will also be able to attend religious conferences through the Zoom video conferencing app, Facebook and YouTube.
“For us connectivity, whether it’s through classes, reciting the Koran or prayers in mosques, now we will try to deal in our homes,” said Aiasha Amir, a Pakistani Islamic instructor and motivational speaker, who will be giving lectures daily live on Facebook during Ramadan.
Pakistan government decided to conditionally keep mosques open during Ramadan [Fareed Khan/AP]
How can you provide charity to the poor?
It is recommended to give charity and zakat, which is one of the five pillars of Islam, during Ramadan.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where a national curfew has been established since March 26, charities will deliver iftar meals to the poor instead of serving them in Ramadan stores or mosques.
But in Saudi Arabia, the Prophet Muhammad Mosque in Medina will not provide iftar meals to people in need this year.
Salaried workers receive free wheat donated by Afghan businessmen before Ramadan in Kabul, Afghanistan [Rahmat Gul/AP]
For security reasons, religious and health experts have advised using online methods to donate to NGOs that help those affected by the outbreak.
“To avoid the crowded gathering associated with iftar banquets, consider using prepackaged food boxes / servings,” the WHO said in its Ramadan guidelines.
“These can be organized by centralized entities and institutions, which must adhere to physical distance throughout the cycle (collection, packaging, storage and distribution).”
Can you fast with the symptoms of COVID-19?
In all cases, it is essential to seek medical advice from your doctor.
According to the Quran, sick people are exempt from fasting and can make up for the missed fast within a year after Ramadan. Elderly, pregnant and lactating women can also skip fasting.
Therefore, according to Rozana, if you experience severe coronavirus symptoms, it is advisable not to fast.
“In Islam, it is very clear who should fast and who is exempt from fasting, particularly those who are experiencing a particular ailment and I think that with coronavirus symptoms it does not appear to be a mild ailment,” said Rozana. said.
Amir said that if a person is not under the supervision of a doctor and his cough and flu are not serious, then one can continue to fast.
“It depends on the immunity of the person, if it is [symptoms are] Mild and if it is bearable like normal cough and flu in which there is no danger to your life … continue fasting as long as it does not affect your physical health. “
How can Eid be celebrated in a pandemic?
The Eid al-Fitr festival marks the end of Ramadan and is celebrated as an official holiday in Muslim-majority countries.
With closure measures in place and large gatherings banned, this year’s festivities will be reduced.
The Indonesian Ulema Council recommends that people living and working in other cities refrain from visiting their home towns during the holidays.
Malaysia has banned popular Ramadan bazaars, where street vendors sell food and drinks at congested outdoor markets or roadside stands [File: Vincent Thian/AP]
It is unclear whether nations will lift or ease the blockade measures for Eid.
The grand mufti of Saudia Arabia has said that if the outbreak continues, Eid prayers can be performed at home.
“Whether we like it or not, Eid this year will be restricted,” Faizal said in the National University of Malaysia.
“It will be different. A small and close Eid celebration will be organized among the small members of the family.
“This will be less fun for children, and they will remember this time or year to tell their children and future generations.”
What can Muslims learn from this experience?
Worshipers can learn several lessons from the restrictions this year, as they are encouraged to observe Ramadan in a more modest way, Rozana said.
“All that notion about food waste, waste of resources and how it can be better channeled to those who need it, that is something that we as Muslims should also think about,” he said.
Follow Saba Aziz on Twitter: @saba_aziz
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