DUBAI – The blessed month of Ramadan is once again upon us. This year – much like last year – it will be vastly different as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking to Ashraf Garda on Salaamedia, Thembisa Ebrahim Fakude from the Al Jazeera Center for Studies explained the extent to which this holy month has been affected by the pandemic. The atmosphere is tense this year, he says.
Several countries in the Gulf region have gone into strict lockdowns following the spread of the South African variant of COVID-19 and many are seeing a spike in infections. In many Gulf states, citizens are discouraged from attending congregational prayers at Mosques since social distancing is imperative, and many have taken to following prayers from their television sets.
People are advised to stay at home and, if they have to leave their houses, they must take precautions. According to Fakude, these stringent regulations ware likely to continue for the rest of the month and may even continue after Eid.
It seems that the acceptance of this new way of life has been unanimous in the Gulf, as opposed to a begrudging attitude when compared to other regions across the globe.
Those who break coronavirus regulations face legal punishment. This encourages citizens to adhere to laws meant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. It is customary in the Middle East for individuals and families to break their fasts in a communal setting on the streets, but even this has been halted by the lockdown.
Watch the full interview here:
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