Ramadan began on Tuesday. This is usually a time of gathering. Not anymore.
“Everyone’s taking part at home. We pray together via live stream,” Ali Asnan, a member of the Fatih Mosque in Eindhoven, says. He reckons all the corona measures make it irresponsible to get together.
So, during this month of fasting, only the Imam will be at the mosque. He leads the prayer service on camera. “He recites from the Koran. Viewers can follow him at home. We’ll do that every day during Ramadan.”
Prayers
Prayer is done digitally, but much else is also cancelled due to circumstances. Like the communal iftar – the meal after sunset – at the mosque. The same goes for the evening prayer. “We asked everyone to pray that this crisis may be over soon,” says Ali.
Muslims in the Fatih Mosque community don’t see each other much anymore. Yet, they can stay connected thanks to technology. “We stay in touch through Whatsapp groups. For now, we just have to wait until more rules are relaxed and more is allowed again.”
Ramadan ends on 12 May.
Source: Studio040
Translator: Bob
Editor: Melinda Walraven
