Ramadan in lockdown

Published: 08 June 2020

This year, Ramadan ended on Saturday 23 May. The committee members of St George’s Islamic society explain what Ramadan was like this year with it taking place in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and the associated restrictions.

“Ramadan is normally a time of worship and to rejoice within the community. Ramadan 2020 was definitely not typical, but that doesn’t mean that the month went by harshly.

"During these times, we've been apart from our friends (and for some, family) for longer than we ever have before. This time has been seen by many as a golden opportunity to invest in our connection with Allah. 

“Given the situation with the pandemic, we couldn’t gather to break our fasts together like we typically do during Ramadan, and the taraweeh prayers (night prayer) could not be held in the masjids (mosque) due to quarantine. 

“Despite having to stay at home, the free time gave us the opportunity to carry out our Ramadan worship and rituals with more dedication and less distractions. The fact that we spent most of our time at home made us contemplate more, read more Quran and also think of different ways we could make use of our time to get closer to Allah. 

“One could have looked at the situation in a negative way, but most seemed to try to make the most out of being isolated during this holy month.

“That said, this was, without a doubt, a Ramadan that will never be forgotten by most Muslims around the world. It goes without saying that the loss of the warm community atmosphere and the usual buzz of everyone being together during this blessed month was something that affected us all. 

“But seeing the efforts that people made to ensure that this Ramadan was just as amazing and uplifting as every other year was so inspiring. Thanks to technology, we were able to stay motivated and feel connected by seeing what everyone else was getting up to, and hear from friends and the wider Muslim community. 

“The spiritual atmosphere of Ramadan cannot be mimicked, but to see the efforts that fellow Muslims were making generated a real sense of community.

“We genuinely believe that being in a sort of solitude during the month of Ramadan was actually a blessing. Although it had its struggles, it pushed many of us closer to our Lord and cleared up a lot of our time for us to give back to the remembrance of our Creator.”