The Muslim fasting month of Ramadan has begun.
Due to the corona, not everything is as usual.
Bad Tölz
- It is an important time for devout Muslims.
The fasting month of Ramadan has begun.
During this time, nothing is eaten and nothing is drunk from sunrise to sunset.
Last year, however, Ramadan was already under the influence of Corona.
“It's not like it used to be,” says Menduh Killik, the chairman of the Mevlana Mosque Association.
Nevertheless, fasting is important even in times of pandemics.
“The main idea is to cleanse the mind and body,” he explains.
That remains the same despite the many waivers that everyone makes due to Corona.
Night prayer is not applicable due to exit restrictions
In the evening, when the sun has set, the fast is broken.
Usually the believers come together in the mosque and pray together.
"The night prayer has to be canceled due to the exit restrictions," says Killik.
Because it starts around 9.25 p.m., but there is a curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
“That's why people pray alone or with the family at home,” says Killik.
On Monday, 15 believers were able to pray together in the mosque at a distance.
Friday prayer can also take place.
“But we don't have any prayer leaders at the moment, someone from the congregation always does that.” Because the prayer leaders, who mostly came from abroad, were otherwise taken home by the parishioners in order to be able to offer them a family atmosphere.
“We can't do that at the moment,” says Killik.
The end of Lent is celebrated in families
But he can also get positive out of the difficult time.
"What you didn't appreciate so much before, you can see more now." So he now calls his siblings much more often, "otherwise we only heard from each other once or twice a month".
When the Muslim Lent ends after four weeks, a big festival is celebrated.
Killik doesn't yet know how this will go this year.
"Last year we marked a certain number of places and made the number public." When all were occupied, the doors were closed.
It could be something like that again this year.
"We are fortunate that we can hold the prayer that day despite the exit restrictions," said Killik.
Because this begins around 6.20 a.m., the curfews currently apply until 5 a.m.
“As we pray together, we will wish each other a wonderful feast.
And then everyone goes to their family to celebrate. "
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