Celebrating Ramadan Social-Distancing Style
By Faiza Zia Khan
Newport Beach, CA
The auspicious month of Ramadan is upon us bringing peace, tranquility, and blessings for Muslims globally. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, where Muslims are expected to abstain from food, water, and any activity that is deemed sinful.
There are 1.8 billion Muslims around the world with 3.5 million residing in the United States. Ramadan is a colorful month where focus is not just on abstinence but also on reflection, soul searching, and spiritual cleansing. Muslims come together to practice the same rituals in harmony and tranquility.
Ramadan in the pre-Coronavirus era was a month with endless social activities, congregation in the mosque, iftar parties, and gatherings. This year with the pandemic taking all of our time and sanity there is a different kind of approach towards observing Ramadan.
In previous years the festive atmosphere of Ramadan made this month very special due to the food-filled social gatherings involved with iftar-dinners and prayers at the mosque. With this year’s social-distancing measures, Ramadan celebrations have taken a different trend. We are missing out on the social gatherings, such as the Taraweeh prayers at the mosque and other food-centric activities after iftar. The worldwide instruction for people to stay at home to flatten the curve and to reduce the spread of COVID-19 is a step towards keeping us safe and we are all following this code strictly.
There was a period of adjustment prior to Ramadan that there could be an unfulfilled void due to the absence of these social activities. But just because we are unable to get together in large groups or get together for communal worship at the mosque does not mean that we cannot still stay connected. In fact, because of the deliberate effort we’ll be making to stay grounded and connected this Ramadan, it’s likely that this year might end up being the most memorable one we have spent so far.
This is not just because we’re in the middle of a pandemic but also simply the food and caffeine withdrawals are endless. As we have already shifted our mindset to remaining healthy and safe, let us make Ramadan special while social distancing, as long as we are in a healthy mental space. Most of them have moved online with zoom meeting invites for prayers. Mosques around the world are closed to curb the further spread of the disease and maintain safety measures towards social distancing. The new style of celebrating Ramadan is virtual iftars and socially-distanced prayers.
I thought of compiling some interesting ways to celebrate Ramadan and enjoy it all the while making it festive for everyone.
Catch up on sleep: While the rest of the world continued to come into their workplaces or schools without any interruption Muslims would feel left out in catching up to their uninterrupted sleep. This year with work from home measures in place it is very easy to catch up on sleep. The endless hours spent in commuting from home to work/school and vice versa can now be utilized to keep up with our beauty sleep.
Keep in touch with loved ones: During the 9-5 haul there is little time in the day to talk to those far and near. Ramadan is a great time to catch up with those you were unable to connect with due to time constraints or time zone differences. As the day starts early and we are at home without worrying about packing lunches and rushing out of the door to work we can call or message family and friends with ease and bestow the wishes of Ramadan Kareem upon them.
Create or try new recipes/menus: This has easily been one of my favorite past times throughout the stay-at-home orders. Baking, cooking, creating new items of the edible variety is a great way to keep busy during Ramadan at home. The added advantage is as the brain and body stay busy crafting dishes on the regular, while there is less rushing around when iftar or sahoor time arrives. Endless food options are available if you want to create menus ahead of time. It allows for meal prep and less runs to the grocery stores during social distancing. If you are like myself and ordering online this also is a good way to stay busy and create menus/meal planning items for the whole month without any stress,
Decorate your home: Pinterest and Instagram went viral with home decoration ideas for Ramadan. A ton of Ramadan themed videos, DIY tutorials, and online step-by-step demos of decorations, arts and crafts are on YouTube. Any of these can be searched on the browsers and your home can become “Ramadan Central” very quickly.
Make Ramadan-care packages, baskets or iftar boxes: Social distancing has not disallowed from getting in our cars to go and drop off food for friends and family from a safe distance. Choose a day or days depending on what your budget or energy level allows and create give away baskets or packages with dates, dry pasta, pasta sauce, cake mix, cookies, etc. as a way of showing your love. If you are a keen chef then iftar boxes with cooked/baked menu items can be prepared such as samosas, chaat, dahi baray, and dinner items such as biryani or chicken karahi. Another option is to get food delivered to your loved ones via GrubHub, PostMates, or Uber Eats. The options are limitless depending on your choice and preferences.
These are some of the ideas that are not in any way unique or new in normal circumstances but provide some brainstorming ideas to apply towards staying creative and engaged during Ramadan. While social distancing is the key to our health, celebrating Ramadan in a happy and safe environment is integral for our inner peace.
(Faiza Zia Khan holds a Master’s in Journalism degree from the University of British Columbia, Canada. She has collaborated with news media outlets including Global National and actively volunteers for several community investment projects for the Red Cross, United Way and the Breast Cancer Foundation)
