Corona Pandemic has awfully
put a pause to each and every activity of people around the world. Every place
is closed for people to go and everyone is staying home where they're under
'lockdown' or 'self isolation'. Even the holy places where people used to visit
regularly is under 'lockdown'. Our world is filled with various religious
beliefs and practices followed by people from various parts of world to exhibit
their faith towards God. But, now people weren't able to follow their practices
to their god because of corona virus pandemic; before 2 weeks it was Easter
Sunday which Christians around the world used to celebrate but didn't due to
corona. And now, the Holy month of Ramadan begins for the 1.8 billion Muslims
of world's population which is their traditional time of observing dawn-to-dusk
fasting, festivities and communal prayer, every year that is unlike this year.
The Holy Mosques all over the
world where Muslims used to awash with faith during the month of Ramadan were
kept closed due to pandemic; even Mecca and Medina the holiest cities of Islam
is closed which is never seen in the last decades. The holy month of Ramadan is
believed by the Muslims as the month that God revealed the Holy Quran to the
Prophet Mohammad. Ramadan, officially begins at the first sighting of the
waxing crescent after the new moon, that leads to different countries declaring
its start a day or two apart based on their locations.
The Holy month of Ramadan
began on Friday(April 24,2020) in Saudi Arabi where Mecca, the holiest place of
Muslims is located after the waxing crescent was sighted. Saudi King Salman bin
Abdul-Aziz Al Saudi statement groaned the need of 'social distancing' to stop
the spread of deadly corona virus and thus, people have to give priority to
their health first and then celebrations.
According to the official
Saudi Press Agency, Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saudi said, "It
pains me to welcome the glorious month of Ramadan under circumstances that
forbid us of prayers in Mosques and of performing the Ramadan prayers. All this
is due to the protective measures taken to save lives and human wellbeing in
light of the global threat of COVID-19."
In Iran, there are 87,000
confirmed cases with nearly 5,500 deaths due to corona virus which the
Government is fighting to control. Being a Muslim country, Iran Officials
decided to reduce and regulate the Ramadan gatherings, even though Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei, Country's Supreme Leader had already hinted about this.
And another Muslim country
Pakistan, have diagnosed nearly 11,000 confirmed cases. So, the officials of
Pakistan have also decided to ensure people's safety and health first, before
Ramadan gatherings.
In India, the officials of the
secular country which consist about 182 million Muslims have also decided to
regulate the gathering and celebrations in main cities such as Pune, Kerala due
to corona pandemic.
Irshad Mulla, a senior Muslim
citizen expressed his grief, "Every year there is a congregation of people
praying at the mosque, there is a special namaaz (taravik), for the whole
month, where people pray together; but, because of the lockdown, people will
have to pray in their houses with the family,"
On the top, there is
Indonesia constituting the world's largest Muslim population with 7,800 corona
virus confirmed cases. Being the largest country with Muslim population, the
step and pronouncements made by the mainstream Muslim organizations is highly
commendable in Indonesia. It was pronounced to Mosques that they shall not
conduct mass prayers in this lockdown period even during the holy month of
Ramadan. Knowing about this announce from Government and Muslim organizations,
The Jakarta Post-an Indonesia based English journal praised the restrictions
and warning made to country's people by writing "not out of the pandemic
woods yet."
United Kingdom being a
shelter to 2.6 million Muslims is facing high-rated corona threat already and
Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) made an announcement to people that, they shall
attend the mass prayers virtually by tuning into live streams broadcast by
their local mosques. United States have also made such announcements like
video-conferencing ahead the holy month of Ramadan.
Yes! It cannot be denied that this year Ramadan is definitely going to
be a different Ramadan for every Muslims around the world. People agree that
they really miss the Iftars, mass prayers during this Ramadan month due to
Corona virus Pandemic: But the good part is, people are really co-operating
with governments to control and defend the corona pandemic by staying inside
home and celebrating Ramadan for the well-being of everyone. Hence, Humanity is
the ideology of every religion which is said in different ways.
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