COVID-19 PANDEMIC Ramadan begins under the shadow of virus pandemic
Jakarta, Indonesia - Surging coronavirus cases in many parts of the world overshadowed the start of the holy month of Ramadan on Tuesday, with festivities curtailed by contagion fears.
Europe, the worst-hit continent, passed the threshold of one million coronavirus deaths, while South Asian countries battle a spiralling outbreak of the disease that has crippled the global economy.
Vaccination drives are giving hope to people fed up with restrictions that are well into a second year.
The total number of virus deaths is approaching 3mn, according to an AFP tally of official data, as the World Health Organization warned infections are rising exponentially despite efforts aimed at stopping them.
From Indonesia to Egypt, many Muslims around the world started Ramadan after religious leaders confirmed the month of fasting would begin on Tuesday, though restrictions on worshippers varied from country to country.
‘I am so happy’
Jakarta’s newly renovated Istiqlal Mosque - Southeast Asia’s largest - welcomed congregants for the first time on Monday night after more than a year of
A woman reads the Quran as she begins observing the holy month of Ramadan at Al Makmur mosque in Banda Aceh, the capital of the Indonesian province of Aceh, on Tuesday
closure because of the pandemic.
Mohamad Fathi, a resident of the Indonesian capital, told AFP this year’s Ramadan was happier than in 2020, when people were banned from taking part in tarawih (evening) prayers.
“Last year it was gloomy as we were not allowed to go to the mosque for tarawih prayers,” he said.
“But this year, I am so happy
finally we can go to the mosque to perform tarawih prayers at the mosque although we are under strict health protocol during the prayer.”
The government of the world’s most populous Muslimmajority nation has imposed limits, with mosques only able to host congregants at a maximum of 50 per cent capacity. Worshippers are required to wear masks and bring their own
prayer mats.
Several regions in Indonesia have banned gathering for fastbreaking and religious leaders have encouraged people to pray at home in certain zones where virus cases are spiking.
“This is like happiness in the middle of restrictions,” Fathi added. “This year’s Ramadan is very meaningful for me after last year we did not feel the joy of Ramadan at all.”
Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest shrines, announced that the holy fasting month was to start on Tuesday, though authorities said only people immunised against COVID-19 will be allowed to perform the year-round umrah pilgrimage from the start of Ramadan.
In Egypt, restrictions were much less stringent than last year as people took to the streets to mark the start of the fasting month.
Pakistanis will only begin fasting on Wednesday after rival moon-sighting committees agreed to a nationally applied start of what is called ‘Ramazan’ in the country.
With the country in the grip of a third wave of the coronavirus - the deadliest so far - the government urged mosques to only allow prayers in open courtyards and to strictly enforce social distancing.
Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead on COVID-19, said the world was now at a ‘critical point’ of the pandemic. “The trajectory of this pandemic is growing... exponentially.”
“This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic, when we have proven control measures.”