COVID-19 has left no doubt in its effects on almost every aspect of human life. Christians in America and around the world saw their Easter celebrations altered due to the spread of the virus. The Muslim holy month of Ramadan started just last Thursday but has already seen COVID-19 alter traditions. I found an NPR article that discusses Muslims who are facing “a different kind of Ramadan” this year due to the virus.
Traditionally mosques are “brimming with the faithful” during this Muslim holy month. COVID-19 has obviously forced the closure of mosques around the world. That includes those in Saudi Arabia, which is home to the holiest cities in Islam – Mecca and Medina. The article covers a multitude of countries who’s Ramadan traditions will be affected by COVID-19 including Indonesia, where the Muslim population is the largest in the world. The piece says that “mainstream Islamic organizations have issued religious pronouncements asking Muslims not to hold mass prayers or to have communal dinners known as iftar to end daily fasts at sunset.”