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SINGAPORE: On some days during the holy month of Ramadan, 32-year-old public relations officer Badrun Nisa Abdul Razak generally went to his uncle’s place to break up with about 30 members of his extended family.
Aunts, uncles and cousins with their wives and children gathered in generous plates of hoon biryani, roti john and roti jala bees, catching up and taking turns playing with the little ones.
The elders sat at the table and the rest sat on the floor, sometimes playing until the prayer call rings to indicate that it is time to dig.
“We have always been a very close family,” Badrun told CNA. “My parents are very close to their siblings, and they have always emphasized the importance of fostering close relationships with our family members.”
These large gatherings, involving family members from approximately 15 different households, would take place three to four times during the month. Badrun said they are a way for working adults to come together and spend more time together.
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But with Singapore’s “circuit breaker” measures banning large gatherings and gatherings between family members from different households unless necessary, this year’s Ramadan, which runs from April 23 to May 23, simply will not be the same. .
Mosques, which are most important during a month when worship is very important, have been closed until further notice. The annual Geylang bazaars and lighting, which add festive joy before Hari Raya Puasa, have also been discontinued.
Devotees quickly break the first day of Ramadan at a mosque in Singapore. (File photo: Reuters / Edgar Su)
“It will be very different and a little sad,” Badrun said of the upcoming Ramadan. “But you know, we need to be responsible citizens. So we just make it work with these limitations.”
Ms. Badrun’s family plans to reunite with Zoom after breaking up fast, though she said that not being physically together changes things.
“We will all be in each other’s houses and connected through a webcam,” he said. Therefore, you cannot touch, take photos and be close to each other. “
File photo of Muslim foreign workers in Singapore breaking fast during Ramadan.
Other Ramadan activities will also transition to virtual spaces. Mosques will change the usual online events, while electronic bazaars and Facebook markets selling Hari Raya food and items have sprung up.
“With the disruption of traditionally observed community activities from community gatherings and congregational Tarawih prayers in mosques, the community is encouraged to continue to observe Ramadan in a meaningful way at home,” the Singapore Islamic Religious Council said Tuesday. (MUIS).
MOSQUES EMBRACING TECHNOLOGY
During Ramadan, the Al-Istighfar mosque in Pasir Ris can attract around 1,000 congregants each day, said its president Azman Mohd Ariffin, 57.
The parishioners break up together, participate in the daily afternoon and the supplementary prayers of tarawih, and listen to religious conferences.
As with preparing for any major event, Azman and his team began planning these activities months earlier, since last September. Volunteers had gathered, searched for catering providers and approached the imams.
READ: MUIS will close mosques until further notice amid high risk of COVID-19 transmission
But MUIS’s announcement on March 24 that it would close mosques until further notice to curb the spread of COVID-19 threw a key in the works.
“Initially, some volunteers asked why the mosques should close, but we explained to them that this was done in good faith,” Azman said, stating that everyone was sad. “As a good practicing Muslim, saving lives is more important.”
Congregants outside the Al-Istighfar Mosque in Pasir Ris leave the area after being informed of the closure. (Photo: Aqil Haziq Mahmud)
While Mr. Azman said he hopes to pray in the congregation and meet friends in the mosque during Ramadan, there are benefits of praying at home.
“Everyone says whatever, we should go to the mosque during Ramadan; it is like a call,” he added. “But on the other hand, I will have more time to spend with my family and focus on praying with my family.”
Azman said his mosque would offer Ramadan prayer conferences and guides online, while those in need would receive free meals for quick rest at home with the usual safe distancing measures applied.
Safe distance maintained between each individual during prayers at Al-Istighfar Mosque on March 23 (Photo: Hanidah Amin)
Planning for this has been less hectic: They are already committing imams to pre-record prayer guides to be broadcast every day of Ramadan, but Azman said it is more difficult to do things virtually.
“The difficult part is that we can’t get together to plan, so we use Zoom,” he said. “It is a different set of challenges, but it is good that we are forced to embrace technology.”
Technology also allows the mosque to reach groups of people it may have previously overlooked, Azman said. This includes millennials and those who may have been too busy to visit the mosque during Ramadan.
“Usually we focus on those who go to mosques,” he explained. “The positive point is that there are now ways to take advantage of those who cannot. They can still be part of the fraternity of the mosque.”
File photo of vendors selling Muslim food during Ramadan in front of the Sultan Mosque in Singapore. (Photo: Roslan Rahman / AFP)
However, Azman hopes that the mosques can gradually reopen during the last two weeks of Ramadan. Circuit breaker measures are expected to end on May 4, but the government warned that it could be extended if the virus is not controlled.
“There will be many differences (this Ramadan), but it is about how we will face the differences,” he added. “It is an advantage if the mosques reopen, if we cannot pray at home and strengthen family ties.”
Bazaars go online
For 29-year-old Alfi Muswaadi Appathi, an aviation company auditor, this strengthening of ties also involves an almost weekly trip with family and friends to the annual Ramadan bazaar in Geylang.
File photo of the Ramadan bazaar in Geylang. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
They would shop at the last minute to shop for Hari Raya essentials and costumes, sample novelty snacks for lunch, and enjoy the festive atmosphere of Hari Raya songs echoing at each booth.
“It is a nostalgic feeling,” he said, noting that he would still visit the bazaar despite knowing how crowded and loaded it would be. “We have visited it since we were young, a habit cultivated for generations.”
READ: Hari Raya Bazaar at Wisma Geylang Serai Deferred Due to COVID-19: PA Concerns
Alfi said he had just become a father and was looking forward to visiting this year’s bazaar with his wife and son. But on March 18, the People’s Association said it would be canceled to avoid large crowds during the pandemic.
“It is a sad reality,” he said. “Ramadan and Hari Raya will not be the same, but it is the safest movement and I respect it. It is for the good of the nation.”
Delights from other countries have proven popular at the bazaar, such as traditional Lebanese food at a stand run by Tabbouleh Lebanese Gourmet Cafe and Restaurant. (Photo: Alif Amsyar)
Still, some organizers are trying to recreate online bazaars to keep the joy going.
According to the lifestyle portal Have Halal Will Travel, two online flea markets and one online bazaar will be held in April and May. The Facebook group Bazaar Ramadhan Singapore 2020 already has more than 35,000 members.
Alfi said he could check this out and get food and clothing from Hari Raya instead. “Contactless delivery is a great thing now,” he said.
READ: The Kampung spirit came to life in Geylang Serai when Ramadan begins
While Alfi acknowledged that the restrictions will make this year’s Ramadan “silent,” he still awaits it and sets new religious goals.
“This simply gives Muslims a greater focus on our spiritual practices in Ramadan, drawing us closer to our creator and religion without all the entertainment and distractions,” he added.
“It was supposed to be like this anyway.”
