Muslims start Ramadan under the shadow of coronavirus

JAKARTA: Surging coronavirus cases in many parts of the world overshadowed the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Tuesday, with festivities curtailed by contagion fears.

The total number of virus deaths is approaching 3 million, according to an AFP tally of official data, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) 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.

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 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 Muslim-majority 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.

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 yearround 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 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.

— AFP photos Muslim people offer prayers on the first night of Ramadan at the Istiqlal grand mosque in Jakarta.

People riding in a bus look at a stall selling Ramadan lanterns along a main street in the in the northern suburb of Shubra (home to a large Christian population) of Egypt’s capital Cairo.

People walk towards the Dome of the Rock at the Aqsa Mosque compound, Islam’s third holiest site, in the old city of Jerusalem on the eve of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan..

Children pose for a photo in front of a large graffiti depicting cultural elements including mosques, churches, old window lattices of the old town of Iraq’s northern city of Mosul, on the first night of the Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan, during a celebration hosted by a local cultural NGO.