No gatherings for the great breaking meals of the fast (iftar), no night prayer at the mosque (tarawih), no trip to the holy cities, not even a meeting with friends until late at night.
From Saudi Arabia to Morocco, including Egypt, Lebanon and Syria, Muslims in the Middle East and North Africa are preparing for a dismal Ramadan this year.
We are used to seeing the Great Mosque crowded with people during the day, at night, all the time. It’s a deep heartbreak
, says muezzin Ali al-Molla, in Mecca.
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In recent weeks, instead of the usual crowd, a new void has surrounded the Kaaba of the Grand Mosque, a large black cubic structure draped in fabrics embroidered with gold, towards which Muslims around the world are praying.
To stem the spread of the new coronavirus, the Saudi authorities have suspended the small Muslim pilgrimage, the Umrah, in Mecca and Medina.
And it’s likely that Saudi Arabia will also cancel the great annual pilgrimage, the hajj, at the end of July, Ryad having called on the Muslims to suspend their preparations for their trip to Mecca. Religious authorities in several countries, such as Egypt, supported these restrictions, emphasizing the need to pray at home and avoid gatherings.
High demand for masks and disinfectant
In Jerusalem, home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, the Grand Mufti, Mohammad Hussein, announced similar restrictions on prayer during Ramadan.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has asked countries prevent large numbers of people from gathering in places associated with Ramadan activities, such as places of entertainment, markets and shops
.
The month of fasting is generally a period of high household consumption in the Middle East, but this year traders may be hit hard by the reluctance of buyers, who want above all to buy masks, gloves or disinfectant.
I had saved a certain amount for Ramadan, but I spent it to buy things necessary for containment and to protect myself against the virus.
says Younes, 51, who works in a clothing store in Damascus, Syria.
Iran, the Middle East country most affected by the pandemic, recently authorized certain companies to reopen their doors, in order not to further weaken an economy already weighed down by American sanctions.
According to official figures, the Covid-19 has killed more than 5,000 out of more than 80,000 infected people in Iran.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Called on His Citizens to Avoid Any Rally During Ramadan Without neglect prayer, supplication and humility in our solitude
.
Containment prevents festivities
In Egypt, the most populous country in the region with more than 100 million inhabitants, each year Ramadan sees the streets of big cities fill up until dawn, mosques and crowded restaurants, next to shops lit by lanterns, a symbol of this sacred month.
But for Sameh al-Yamani, a 51-year-old translator, the restrictions must be followed to the letter. This year I will pray at home. The closing of mosques is justified, there is too much promiscuity during prayers
, he assures.
If confinement prevents festivities, it does not exempt Muslims in good health
lunch as in previous years
, procrastinates the WHO.
However, patients with Covid-19 are called upon to consult their doctor regarding the practice of fasting. as they would any other illness
, adds the organization.
In Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei published a fatwa on Saturday authorizing him not to fast during the holy month if a godly doctor
believes that this may make the patient vulnerable to illness, worsen the patient’s condition or prolong their convalescence. In this case, you should fast at another time
, is it added in the text.
Calls to charity
Religious leaders continue their traditional appeals for charity, one of the five pillars of Islam.
Although confined to countries at war, such as Libya, Syria or Yemen, the faithful are thus resolved not to forget the poorest.
Ramadan is always a time of charity and this year, the needy are numerous, especially with those displaced by the war
, recalls Karima Mounir, a 54-year-old Libyan banker and mother of two.
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