MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AP) – Muslims in many parts of the world marked the start of Ramadan on Tuesday, but a spike in coronavirus cases in several countries has put another brake on the hallmark holy month celebrations and long prayers in mosques.
Still, there are glimpses that Ramadan 2021 could feel less restricted than last year, when Islam’s holiest period coincided with the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Mosques have since reopened and movement restrictions have eased as the introduction of vaccines in Muslim-majority countries continues. Clergy in places like Indonesia have given assurances that the vaccine will not interrupt the daytime fast.
Ramadan is characterized by longer prayers, fasting from dawn to dusk, and nightly celebrations with family and friends, although crowded shoulder-to-shoulder gatherings in mosques and large gatherings for meals remain prohibited due to the ongoing spread of the coronavirus worldwide.
During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from any food or drink, including water, from morning to night. The month-long exercise focuses on increasing the memory of God, curbing unhealthy habits, and deepening gratitude.
In Mecca, home to the Kaaba – Islam’s most sacred site – Muslims performed socially detached “taraweeh” prayers, marking the beginning of Ramadan. Observant Muslims around the world pray in the direction of the Kaaba five times a day.
Only a limited number of believers are allowed into the Grand Mosque where the Kaaba is located in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. The Saudi authorities only allow individuals who have been vaccinated or recently recovered from the virus to perform taraweeh prayers in the Kaaba.
In Lebanon, most Muslims started Ramadan on Tuesday amid rising inflation. The small country is in the throes of the worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history, with the Lebanese currency losing about 80% of its value against the US dollar in recent months.
The crisis – the result of decades of endemic corruption and mismanagement – has been exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic. Many people have to scale back their preparations for Ramadan.
“We can’t buy anything. We ask how much is the lettuce, the cucumber and the tomato, ”said Samiyeh al-Turk on Monday at a busy open-air market in Beirut. “How are we going to get through the month of Ramadan? I don’t know, ”she added.
Iraq has a curfew from 7:00 PM to 5:00 AM throughout Ramadan, with full closure on weekends. The Ministry of Health warned that failure to comply with these measures could lead to three-day uninterrupted lockdowns. With reference to economic concerns for entrepreneurs, restaurants and pastry shops will be able to operate, but only through home delivery.
Meanwhile, a 10-day lockdown due to increased infections took effect in northeastern areas of Syria on Tuesday, monitored by US-backed fighters. The region, which borders Iraq and Turkey, is home to 5 million people.
COVID-19 cases are also on the rise in Indonesia. Mosques are allowed to open their doors to Ramadan prayers with strict protocols.
The government will allow people to hold ‘iftar’ gatherings during Ramadan in restaurants, malls and cafes, which are 50% open. Iftar is the sought-after time when Muslims traditionally break their day-long fast by eating dates and sipping water before partying with friends and family.
“Relaxing restrictions is a relief for us who are tired of this COVID-19 outbreak,” said Anna Mardyastuti, a resident of Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital. “Yes, they must act to stop the virus, but not block the door to worship or completely change our tradition of Ramadan.”
In neighboring Muslim-majority Malaysia, Wan Noradriana Balqis, 21, welcomed the return of community prayers in mosques, but said she will avoid crowded Ramadan bazaars. The number of coronavirus cases in Malaysia has more than tripled since January.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to reopen the bazaars. The rules are there, but a lot of people don’t follow them, ”said the database administrator.
Vaccinations pose a challenge to Muslim countries that shoot during Ramadan. Officials are working to allay concerns about the Islamic teaching that Muslims should refrain from “anything that enters the body” between sunrise and sunset.
Indonesia’s highest administrative council even said that Muslims who qualify for vaccinations are “required” to take the recordings during Ramadan.
Governments, meanwhile, are also working to enforce some restrictions.
In India, where infections have peaked in recent days, scientists are calling on the country’s 200 million Muslims to follow antivirus protocols and refrain from major gatherings. Many Indian cities affected by virus spikes have set night clocks and it remains unclear whether believers are allowed to offer taraweeh prayers in mosques.
In Pakistan and Iran, fasting starts on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has refused to close mosques in Pakistan, even as new infections are reaching levels comparable to the onset of the pandemic. The mosque leaders are tasked with ensuring that no one over the age of 50 enters and that social distance is maintained, but adherents rarely follow these restrictions.
Muslims in Indian-controlled Kashmir continue to suffer two consecutive lockdowns, leaving tens of thousands without the means to make a living. The disputed region, the only part of Hindu-dominated India that is predominantly Muslim, was under an unprecedented military lockdown in 2019 before coronavirus lockdowns were imposed last year. Local charities plan to distribute Ramadan ration packs for families in need.
Meanwhile, in the North African Spanish enclave of Ceuta, where about half the population is Muslim, a peaceful protest was held to urge authorities to extend the 10pm curfew during Ramadan by one hour. However, other Muslims said they supported the current curfew as an important measure to protect people’s lives.
And in Egypt, the government banned mosques from serving free meals during Ramadan and banned traditional charitable iftars that would gather strangers at long tables.
Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia. Associated Press journalists Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Aijaz Hussain in Srinagar, India; Kathy Gannon in Islamabad; Zeina Karam and Fadi Tawil in Beirut; Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal and; Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed to this report.