No Congregational Prayers or Iftaar Parties: What Ramzan Will be Like For Muslims Across the World

The fragrance of mutton dishes, fritters and other delicacies typical to the month of Ramzan will not waft through the lanes of markets this year, nor will be any resonance of congregational prayers from the mosques. This year, Muslims across the globe are going to miss the festive cheer in the holy month owing to the lockdown imposed to restrict the spread of coronavirus.

Ramzan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is likely to begin from April 23 (subject to the appearance of crescent moon) this year. During this month, Muslims observe a fast from dawn to dusk.

However, as countries are under strict lockdowns and people have been asked to maintain social distancing, this Ramzan is expected to be a silent one. The religious leaders and scholars have issued guidelines for the month of Ramzan in lockdown asking people to adhere by the lockdown norms to feed the poor.

The fast begins with a pre-dawn meal, called Suhoor and ends just before the evening prayers with a meal called Iftaar. Post Iftaar, nightly prayers called Taraweeh are held in mosques. Iftaar parties where people meet and socialise add to the fervour of the holy month. But any of this is highly unlikely to happen this year as the contagious coronavirus has forced countries to go under lockdowns and prohibit any gatherings.

In India, Maulana Khalid Rasheed, chairman of Islamic Centre of India Firangi Mahal in Lucknow, asked Muslims to obey the lockdown rules urging people to gather in huge numbers for taraweeh prayers. People have been asked to have their suhoor and iftar at home only.

The religious groups also urged people to feed the poor and the needy during the holy month.

Egypt has banned all Ramzan activities, including group iftaars. Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore too have banned the month-long Ramzaan markets where food, drinks and clothes are usually sold.

Saudi Arabia's grand mufti, the highest religious authority in the kingdom, has said the prayers during Ramzan should be performed at home only in view of the pandemic. Jordan too has issued a similar guideline.

However, Pakistan has allowed the congregational prayers to be held in mosques while observing social distancing norms. People above the age of 50, minors and those suffering from flu will not be allowed to enter mosques. The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) chairman Hafiz Tahir Ashrafi has asked the worshippers to follow preventive guidelines, saying that even a slight mistake in following them could lead to closure of mosques. Taraweeh on roads and footpaths has been banned and the people have been asked to remove all carpets in mosques.

The Indonesian government has put a ban on the annual mudik, an exodus the end of Ramzan where people return to their villages. A study by the researchers at the University of Indonesia warned that the exodus could worsen the situation and a million people could get infected with the coronavirus by July in Java, Indonesia's most densely-populated island, Al-Jazeera reported.

Britain’s Muslim Council too has issued guidelines for the month of Ramzan in lockdown. The congregational prayers have been banned and people have been asked to avoid iftaar parties to avoid gatherings, BBC reported.

The highly contagious coronavirus has spread to 185 countries so far and has claimed 178,281 lives across the globe, with countries like USA, Italy, China being the worst-hit. With no vaccine in sight so far, social distancing and isolation is being deemed as the only cure for the disease which is believed to have originated from Wuhan late last year.