A Sri Lankan Ramadan in the Time of COVID-19

2020 Apr 27

With the dawn of the new moon on the 24th of April, Muslims in Sri Lanka and around the world, welcome the holy month of Ramadan with much uncertainty this year. With a global pandemic disrupting lives internationally and from religious sites from Mecca to Medina to our neighbourhood mosque being shut for our safety, this year allows us to delve into the true meaning of this month: self-reflection. Whilst culturally in Sri Lanka,  Ramadan is a month of community and daily gatherings, the core purpose of this holy month is to go within, reflect, repent, and look for global justice, peace and harmony.

What is Ramadan?

First, an introduction to what exactly this month entails for Muslims. Ramadan is the 9th month in the Islamic calendar and entails the month of Muslim fasting which lasts for 29 to 30 days. Because the Islamic calendar is based on the lunar cycle, the beginning of each month is determined by when the new moon is seen. For this reason, Muslims in Sri Lanka await the annual announcement made by the Colombo Grand Mosque that confirms the exact date on which the holy month will begin. The Quran was first said to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) during this month.

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world adhere to the following:

1. Muslims abstain from eating or drinking during daylight hours. There are two main meals during the month of Ramadan and these include “Sahar or Suhoor” which is the meal eaten before dawn to prepare for a day of fasting, and “Iftar” which is the meal eaten at sunset to break the fast. Fasting is taken up by every Muslim adult (with exemptions such as those who are pregnant, ill or children who haven’t reached puberty) with its intent to remind them of the suffering of the less fortunate.
2. Muslims try and give up bad habits and repent for past sins during this time of the year. This includes everything from smoking to gossiping, and even sex. Ramadan is a month that teaches Muslims self-discipline and self-restraint.
3. It is a time of forgiveness and a time where all make amends. The word ‘Ramadan’ can be traced from the noun Ramada which refers to ‘be hot’. Originally Ramadan occurred in summer months but now it is believed that during this month, all your sins are burned away.
4. Giving to charity is also a big part of the month of Ramadan. There are Five Pillars of Islam namely, faith (Shahada), prayer (Salat), alms (Zakat), fasting (Sawm) and pilgrimage (Hajj). Whilst the month of Hajj is dedicated to pilgrimage, Muslims are expected to fully fulfill the other four pillars of Islam during this month, so acts like reading the Quran, fulfilling obligatory and non-obligatory prayers and the rule of donating 2.5% of one’s total wealth to charity is common practice. 

The Last 10 Days of Fasting

The last 10 days of fasting are especially important to Muslims around the world as it is seen as an opportunity to receive 84 years (or a lifetime) worth of blessings. The blessed night, known as Laylat al-Qadar, or the Night of Power, occurs on one of the last ten nights of Ramadan. It is most probable in one of the last ten odd nights, which is the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th night. Laylat al-Qadar is the glory of the holy month and is known to be the night in which the revelation of the Quran began. It is said that the man or woman who prays for a whole night during this night, will receive a lifetime of blessings and rewards.

Wakf Board of Sri Lanka Guidelines to Ramadan in the Time of COVID-19

Whilst Ramadan is a time of community, family and self-reflection, this year Muslims, just like those from any other faith, will be focusing on the latter. With the Sinhala and Tamil New Year as well as Easter already being celebrated in isolation, the month of Ramadan too will see many changes this year. 

The Wakf Board of Sri Lanka, under which all mosques are registered, has issued strict guidelines for mosques as of the 15th of March, which will continue until further notice, and will be applicable to the month of Ramadan as well. Accordingly, all Trustees of all mosques are very strictly directed as such:

1. DO NOT open up mosques to the public but only to the Imam/Muazzin to announce the call to prayer (Adhaan)
2. DO NOT have any congregational prayer including the daily five times prayer, Jummah, Tharaweeh prayer etc.
3. DO NOT host any other congregational activity such as community Iftar programs 
4. DO NOT prepare or distribute Porridge (Kanji) at mosques or at its premises
5. Duly notify the Jamaath (the Muslim population) of these guidelines and educate and encourage them to adhere to instructions and directions given by health and defense authorities in relation to COVID-19.

To further the guidelines, according to the CNN, Omar Suleiman, the founder and president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, mentions that there is no difference in the validity between praying at home or at the mosque and encourages Muslims to focus on individual prayer habits this year, turning isolation into inner peace. 

While we welcome the month of Ramadan with hope, faith and peace, let us remember to adhere to the guidelines issued by Sri Lankan authorities, practice our individual faiths in harmony, and work towards battling this pandemic together. Here’s hoping for a safe and blessed Ramadan for us all!