‘Definitely better than last year’
This Ramadan, need to reconnect and re-energize outweighs COVID’s damper
Mehwish Aejaz decided to go all out for Ramadan this year — especially now that the usual ways of celebrating are off the table.
She put up lights and decorations around her home in Sugar Land, including illuminating the entrance of her dedicated prayer room. Aejaz is even creating a DIY date tree, using foam rollers and toothpicks. She is putting special posters on the walls and purchased candles and balloons for the holiday.
“It feels like there’s something exciting happening,” Aejaz said.
This was her first time to decorate for the monthlong holiday.
Ramadan started the evening of April 12 this year, following the Lunar calendar. It’s a sacred time for Muslims that’s dedicated to spiritual reflection, worship, reading the Quran and connecting with God.
Normally the social component is also a big part of the holiday. It’s a time when the Muslim community reconnects with family and friends, joining each day with others to break the fast with an evening meal, or iftar.
Last year, COVID-19 put a damper on that. Mosques closed, and gatherings were limited to immediate families.
The usual iftar parties, the late nights at restaurants with friends, the programs at the mosque were canceled.
“None of that happened,” said Sugar Land resident Adnan Lakhani.
He and his wife are physicians with two young children. They also live with his mother, who runs a Montessori school.
“It was chaotic for everyone,” Lakhani said.
Because there were no communal activities or events at the mosque last year, he decided to take the holiday into his own hands — and decorate the house for the first time.
“We were all about our children and trying to create an environment at home,” he said. “We tried to make the best of it.”
Now, Lakhani plans to make hanging lights at his home a tradition.
“You want to create that holiday spirit for the kids, so they know it’s something special.”
Getting in the holiday spirit
Sugar Land resident Sadia Jalali started a tradition of decorating her home for Ramadan last year.
At the time, she said online shopping was the easiest way to find Ramadan décor.
This year, however, Party City had a whole area dedicated to Ramadan.
“Last year, it was just a little section,” Jalali said. “This year, there’s a lot of stuff, multiple aisles. For them to have it all so prominently — and so many options — is really neat. It made my kids’ eyes light up.”
And it makes it easier for her family to get in the holiday spirit, Jalali explained, which might have been difficult otherwise in the midst of the pandemic.
“We need the festiveness,” she said. “We need a little joy.”
Spring Branch resident Tara Turk-Zaafran decorates her home for Ramadan each year. She hangs lights and decorates a palm tree.
“The kids look forward to it,” she said. “It’s a tradition we started a long time ago. I wanted to do something for my children. It gives them something fun to look forward to.”
This past Ramadan, decorating felt even more significant, TurkZaafran said.
“Having lights and festivities was necessary because of all the sorrow and pain last year,” she said.
Pearland resident Mannal Hussain said her children always look forward to Ramadan.
“But last year, there were no gatherings, no going to the mosque, no spiritual classes during the day,” she said.
Hussain is predicting a return of some sense of normalcy this year.
“Hopefully, this Ramadan is more spiritual for everyone,” she said.
Ramadan — finally
Hussain believes creating balance is key to celebrating this year — incorporating a few more traditions, while still staying safe and limiting the size of gatherings.
For instance, this year, she plans to invite family and a few close friends to her home to celebrate outdoors. Jalali also plans to invite her parents and in-laws to her home to break the fast.
“I’m looking forward to having iftar together,” she said. “Last year, we didn’t do anything. It was bizarre.”
Instead of going to the mosque, Jalali said, her family will pray together at home.
She is also looking for ways for her children to be more connected to the meaning of the holiday.
“I’m going to get them to focus on, ‘How will this month bring you closer to God?’ ” she said. “We’ll come up with goals.”
Jalali considers Ramadan to be a reset button, one that helps her pause and reprioritize.
“The rest of life gets put into perspective,” she said. “It’s time to recenter, and I’m definitely looking forward to that.”
This Ramadan, Turk-Zaafran plans to see more family as well, but she will refrain from attending the mosque for prayers.
“As Muslims, we don’t have to congregate at the mosque,” she explained. “You can pray in solitude or with family. I don’t see the point in putting others at risk. Why not pray at home?”
Turk-Zaafran said that Ramadan is an opportunity to reflect on the past year — and to refocus on positivity.
“Let’s count the blessings we have,” she said. “That’s the spirit of Ramadan.”
A new beginning
Even in a pandemic, looking for the good in life is essential, Turk-Zaafran added. Ramadan is a reminder of that.
“It’s not going to be the same, but it’s definitely better than last year,” she said. “Last year was extremely somber. God really wanted us to reflect on ourselves and our lives.”
This year will still carry that essence, with smaller gatherings and more prayer at home.
Still, that does not mean that Turk-Zaafran is putting her celebration on hold.
“Every Ramadan is considered special,” she said. “Every Ramadan is considered a oncein-a-lifetime event. What last year truly taught us was that we don’t know if we’ll be here tomorrow. Cherish each moment and every day.”
Lakhani agreed. His mosque has opened, and he plans to go for prayer during Ramadan. He also will spend time reading the Quran, listening to scholarly interpretations of the text and meditating on ways to become more intentional.
“Ramadan is a time to step out of the matrix as much as possible and look around and reflect on the meaning of life,” he said. “Ramadan helps reorient yourself with your divine compass.”
Last year, Ramadan occurred not too long after the outbreak of COVID-19. At the time, Richmond resident Fatimah Ali was taking a break after graduating from college, staying with her family and looking for work.
“Then the pandemic came around,” she said. “The idea of social distancing in general was so different. It was a totally new territory.”
Ali was thinking, “How are Muslims going to observe Ramadan? How are folks going to celebrate holidays?”
“The Christian and Jewish communities were asking the same questions,” she said. “We were all trying to figure it out together as a faith community. And that was comforting to me.”
Ali decided to treat this past Ramadan like a spiritual retreat. She spent the month in prayer and reading the Quran.
“It was totally different, but I knew it would be a unique experience, and I wanted to find the most spiritual growth in it I could,” she said.
For evening prayers, Ali joined her siblings upstairs. Together as a family, they had iftars.
That practice will continue this year. Her family is still deciding if they will attend socially distanced prayers at mosques.
“If we can go, that will be amazing, but if not, it’s nice to know that it’s something we can do as a family,” she said.
The sense of community that usually accompanies Ramadan is something Ali missed last year. This time around, she started an online community group for young women to foster a sense of connection.
“With COVID, we’ve been presented with so many new situations,” she said. “But there’s something energizing about finding ways to tackle the experience, there’s something energizing about finding ways to still connect with the community we care about.”
And with the experience gained last year — and the promise of vaccines and more normalcy on the horizon — Ali feels optimistic.
“This year, it still feels like the cusp of something,” she said. “I’m hoping we’re on the cusp of a lift, an upturn to something better. This Ramadan feels like a charging period before jumping out there. There’s so much on the horizon.”