Ramadhan, the Islamic month of prayers and fasting, will begin from Saturday in India amid a lockdown in force due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Ramadhan moon was sighted on Friday, clerics said.
Every year the sighting of the Ramadhan moon brings greatcheer for Muslims as they scamper to make preparations for fasting and head tomosques to begin special ‘Taraweeh’ prayers, but not this time.
At a meeting of the Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee,Imarat-e-Sharaiyah-Hind here, it was announced that the moon was sighted inDelhi and in several parts of the country.
Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari and Shahi Imamof Fatehpuri mosque Mufti Mukarram Ahmed also said the moon was sighted and thefasting will start from Saturday.
They appealed to Muslims to perform all rituals and prayersat home during Ramadhan while adhering to social distancing and lockdown norms.
In Kerala and some parts of Karnataka, the moon was sightedon Thursday. There was no rush to the mosques or on streets as Muslims quietlywelcomed the holy month with a prayer on their lips for the safety of theirloved ones in the wake of the pandemic.
People greeted each other on phone and made preparations athome for sehri (meal before beginning of fasting).
With the lockdown in place till May 3, this will be aRamadhan without the usual gatherings at prayer time and during meals.
All imams, Ulema and Muslim organisations in the countryhave unanimously decided that during Ramadhan, Muslims will not congregate inmosques, religious places and perform all rituals like ‘Iftaar’ (breaking offast) and ‘Taraweeh’ (special prayers) at home keeping in mind socialdistancing norms.
Prominent Muslim body Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has appealed toMuslims to adhere to the lockdown guidelines and perform all religious ritualsstaying inside their homes.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind president Maulana Arshad Madani urgedMuslims to offer prayers, including special ‘Taraweeh’ at home.
Mudasir Yaqoob adds from Srinagar:
The holy month of Ramadhan commences on Saturday acrossJammu and Kashmir.
On Saturday, Muslims across J&K will be having firstSehri (pre-dawn meal) and first Iftaar (post-fasting meal) will be at 7:13 pm.It will be more than 15 hours’ fasting.
Fasting, held from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, is one ofthe five pillars – fundamental religious duties- of Islam. It is a time ofself-examination and great religious devotion.
On Thursday evening, people were waiting for theannouncement till late evening to know if the Ramadan moon was sighted orShaaban would be of thirty days this year.
It was ultimately around 8:30 pm announced that Ramadanwould begin on Saturday as moon was not sighted.
In view of precautionary measures to contain COVID19 threat,Islamic scholars have announced that prayers during Ramadan will only beperformed at home as the suspension of prayers at Masjids will continue.
No Tarawih prayers were held in Masjids on Friday evening.
The Islamic scholars said it is more important to avoidgatherings which otherwise would make possible transmission of infection in thecommunity.
Saudi Arabia has suspended Tarawih prayers in Masjids andasked people to pray at home in the wake of COVID19 pandemic.
The administration, meanwhile, has made it abundantly clearthat it will not tolerate any violation of the lockdown norms and warned ofstrict action.
“We have had excellent cooperation from religiousleaders in our fight against this pandemic. However, we cannot let thesacrifice made by the people during the past month go waste. Action will betaken in case congregational prayers are held in violation of prohibitoryorders passed on April 15,” Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Shahid IqbalChaudhary said.
The Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid in Srinagar has asked peopleto continue abiding by the medical advisories.
“In view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, AnjumanAuqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar, keeping in view the strict medical advisories ofmaintaining social distancing by health experts, will continue with thesuspension of Friday congregations and the Taraweeh prayers in Jamia Masjid,till the situation returns to normal,” a spokesman of the masjid said.
The Muslim Auqaf Trust has also issued a similar advisory.
Meanwhile, business associated with Ramadan has sufferedbadly in the Valley owing to the lockdown.
“Dates and fruits like watermelon used to be in highdemand ahead of Ramadan. But this year, the business is not picking up,”Abdul Rashid, a commissioning and forwarding agent at Fruit Mandi Parimpora,said.
As the majority of people in Kashmir have been badly hit bythe lockdown, the sale of fruits cannot be expected to pick up during thefasting month, as was the trend in past years, Rashid said.