Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, March 29th, 2024

Muslims Mark Ramadan Amid Virus Surge and Renewed Curbs

Muslims Mark Ramadan Amid Virus Surge and Renewed Curbs

MECCA- Muslims in many parts of the world marked the start of Ramadan on Tuesday, but a spike in coronavirus cases in several countries has once again put curbs on the holy month’s signature feasts and lengthy prayers in mosques.
Still, there are glimmers that Ramadan 2021 could feel less restricted than last year, when Islam’s holiest period coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Mosques have since reopened and limits on movement have eased as vaccine rollouts continue in Muslim-majority nations. Clerics in such places as Indonesia have issued assurances the vaccine does not break one’s daytime fast.
Ramadan is marked by longer prayers, dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts with family and friends, though crowded shoulder-to-shoulder gatherings in mosques and large gatherings for meals remain prohibited due to the continued spread of coronavirus globally.
Throughout Ramadan, Muslims abstain from any food or drink - including water - from morning to night. The month-long practice is aimed at heightening remembrance of God, curbing unhealthy habits and deepening gratitude.
In Pakistan and Iran, fasting is expected to begin Wednesday.
The government of Prime Minister Imran Khan has refused to close mosques in Pakistan, even as new infections reach levels similar to the start of the pandemic. Mosque leaders are entrusted with ensuring no one over 50 years-old enters and that social distancing is maintained, but rarely do adherents follow these restrictions.
Muslims in Indian-controlled Kashmir continue to suffer from two back-to-back lockdowns that left tens of thousands without any means to earn their livelihoods. The disputed region, the only part of Hindu-dominated India that is majority Muslim, was under an unprecedented military lockdown in 2019 before coronavirus lockdowns were imposed last year. Local charities plan to distribute Ramadan ration kits for families in need.
Meanwhile, in the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where around half the population is Muslim, a peaceful protest was staged to urge authorities to push back the 10 p.m. curfew by an hour during Ramadan. Other Muslims, however, said they supported the current curfew as an important measure to protecting people’s lives.
And in Egypt, the government prevented mosques from serving free meals during Ramadan and banned traditional charitable iftars that would bring together strangers at long tables. (AP)