Atypical, different, but the essence of Ramadan endures in the spirituality and behavior of the Muslim community in Melilla, which is currently at the equator of its holy month, marked by confinement to prevent possible coronavirus infections. Despite this, the pandemic has not removed the illusion of the faithful, who have been able to adapt to the circumstances of the challenge and sacrifice that this health crisis represents.
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Almost half of the population of the autonomous city is immersed in this celebration with unusual conditions: the break of the fast brings together only the family unit, prayer in the mosque has been replaced by prayer at home and closing from the land border with Morocco, in addition to preventing family visits, it has raised the price of typical products for these dates that now arrive in the city by boat from the peninsula.
“Before, the whole family met on weekends to celebrate together the breaking of the fast. Grandparents, parents, brothers and nephews, we all got together to enjoy a good harera (meat or fish soup with legumes and vegetables) and sweets, but with confinement we cannot do it. I miss these family gatherings, ”says Yamila Haddú.
The home of this young woman from Melilla gives off the traditional aroma of spices, among which saffron, turmeric and ginger stand out, but the paralysis of cross-border trade has taken its toll on small merchants who previously brought products from the other side of the fence and now Of the peninsula. “The fish that arrives does not have the same flavor as that of Morocco, and the price has gone up. There are products that cost twice as much. If I want to make shrimp harera it does not compensate because they are more expensive since there are not so many ”, he details.
The break of the fast has always been an excuse for friends and families to meet again and enjoy the best dishes, especially when there is a good news: a new baby is on the way. This is the case of Marzok Mohamed, another from Melilla who waits with his wife for the arrival of their second child, but regrets that the grandparents cannot experience the evolution of the pregnancy in the first person. Mohamed, who is preparing to face the costs that come upon him, agrees with Haddú on the increase in food products: “Moroccan vegetables were fresher, cheaper and had more flavor. The shopping basket has become more expensive despite the price control of the City Government ”.
However, Mohamed does not give up typical sweets such as chebakia or dates. "Ramadan would not be the same without them," says this young man, but what he lacks most is the possibility of reuniting with his parents and siblings. “With the entry of Phase 1 in Melilla, which allows meetings of up to 10 people, we hope to be able to break the fast by surrounding my parents' table, together with my brothers, and the little ones of the family, always complying with hygiene measures and distance ”, he points out.
“This month's tradition is the exchange of invitations for the fast-break dinner between friends, family and neighbors. Social work and solidarity are also something that is linked to Ramadan, and this year due to the limitation of movements and exits, it has also been affected, "says theologian Abdelaziz Hammaoui, who stresses that the holy month goes further of these encounters and it is spirituality that becomes the most outstanding dimension.
For Hammaoui, “Ramadan has an individual spiritual dimension and another social family dimension. The first dimension is the closest thing to a 'spiritual retreat' that a person enters to purify his interior and connect with the creator. In the second dimension, we try to reconcile with others, get closer to our families and show solidarity with those most in need, because a month of hunger and thirst gives us enough empathy to put ourselves in their place. "
"Social work and solidarity are also something that is linked to Ramadan, and this year due to the limitation of movements and exits, it has also been affected"
Other years, during the month of Ramadan, mosques were filled during the five daily prayers and, especially, during the nightly Tarawih prayer , which is celebrated exclusively during this month. However, since the start of the state of alarm, the mosques have been closed and even going through Phase 1, which allows the opening of religious temples to reach a third of their capacity, the Islamic Commission of Melilla (CIM) has chosen to keep them closed to prevent possible contagion.
"We have chosen not to open them throughout the month of Ramadan because the faithful would come to pray en masse and we have no way of guaranteeing the separation of space of the individual rugs or the hygienic-sanitary conditions of the ablution room," says the representative. CIM legal officer, Wariachi Mohamed. "We are aware of the inconvenience it represents, but Muslims are in solidarity and we know that this sacrifice is for the benefit of the entire community," said this man from Melilla, and recalls that religious precepts comply with the instructions of the health authorities.
Easter is the celebration that ends the holy month of Ramadan. Its celebration is scheduled for May 25, but the CIM has already announced that they will hardly be able to carry out the traditional collective prayer on the esplanade of La Legión if the state of alarm continues. From this entity as each one of the people from Melilla who have shared their testimony in these lines already see the light at the end of the tunnel and agree on the conclusion: that this extraordinary sacrifice allows us to reunite with our loved ones, celebrate our faith and share more with our neighbors.
Rosa Soto is a journalist for Cadena SER in Melilla.