Muslims celebrate Eid
People across Asia celebrated Eid al-Fitr with masks and prayers, but in many places Covid-19 restrictions were in place to limit the joyous mass gatherings and family reunions that usually mark the Muslim holiday.
Millions across the continent would typically travel to their hometowns to celebrate with their families, and crowd markets, malls and mosques — scenes the authorities in hardhit countries are trying to avoid.
In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, the faithful wore masks yesterday as they arrived at the Dian Al-Mahri mosque in Depok, a city south of Indonesian capital Jakarta, and sanitised their hands before going in.
At the entrance, a poster outlining six steps to prevent the spread of Covid-19 served as a stern reminder of the danger in a country with the highest number of cases and deaths in Southeast Asia.
“[We are] very lucky that we can pray together this year, when we couldn’t do it last year,” Tri Haryati Ningsih, 53, said.
“Hopefully, the coronavirus will pass quickly and we can always worship together,” she said.
From Indonesia to Pakistan, governments have imposed restrictions to contain the spread of the virus during Eid, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.
Indonesia has banned domestic travel until Monday, while Malaysia imposed a new national lockdown this week ahead of the festival.
Pakistan last month announced an extended holiday around Eid and extra safety restrictions aimed at reducing mass travel during the celebrations.
The government urged people to stay home after the country suffered a record number of Covid-19 deaths during Ramadan, and ordered the closure of malls, non-essential shops and public transport during the holiday.
Eid starts at different times in different places, as the timing depends on when local religious authorities sight the moon.
In India, celebrations are likely to be muted with nearly two-thirds of the country under movement restrictions due to the acute Covid-19 crisis there.
In New Delhi and other cities, Eid prayer services at major mosques will be limited to between five and 10 clerics and staff, and will not be open to the public.
Some smaller mosques will shut altogether, with clerics asking people to pray at home.
Soaring numbers of virus cases and deaths in India have overwhelmed the health system, leaving many patients without oxygen, hospital beds and adequate treatment.
“My biggest hope is that the pandemic will quickly pass and things return to what it was before, so that we can meet our family and relatives again, and we don’t feel lonely any more,” Cici Permata, 27, said in Depok, Indonesia.