Mosques in West ready for Ramadan
MOSQUES in the West are preparing for Ramadan after the holy month had to be observed during last year’s coronavirus restrictions without the usual community prayer gatherings.
While the month can’t be marked in quite the same way it would be pre-pandemic, there is nevertheless greater opportunity for communal worship than in 2020 when lockdown restrictions were stricter.
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, begins with the first sighting of the new moon over Mecca in Saudi Arabia, which was expected last night.
Many Muslims abstain from all eating and drinking during daylight hours, although Islamic medical professionals have urged those fasting to still get vaccinated against coronavirus.
Salman Waqar, from the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA), told PA Muslim scholars across the world have said vaccinations do not break the fast, and people should not delay their jab on account of Ramadan.
Dr Waqar co-authored a study that assessed the impact of Ramadan fasting on Covid-19 deaths in 2020, which found it did not contribute to a rise in deaths.
Gloucester’s Masjid-e-Noor mosque is among the religious sites in the West that will welcome people for Ramadan prayers this month in line with Government regulations.
On a video on its website Imam Hassan outlined the Covid safety measures it was taking, including a much reduced capacity of 270.
He added that worshipers should not mingle outside and should pray within their own bubbles and to bring their own dates and water to mosques.
Zara Mohammed, the first female secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain, said she was looking forward to a more “health-conscious and sustainable” Ramadan when it came to breaking her own fast.
“We are hoping that it will give everyone a renewed optimism,” Ms Mohammed said.
She said the month was one of the biggest charitable times for Muslim communities, adding: “My message would be to keep in mind and pray for those who are still going to have a quite difficult Ramadan because they are not going to be around their loved ones, whether they are shielding or have lost loved ones.”