The month of Ramadan, considered sacred in Islam, will begin in 2021 with the sunset on April 12. According to Ildar Alyautdinov, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ulema (theologians) of the Religious Board of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Religious Board of Moscow, Moscow mosques will be open for collective prayers of believers, but they will observe strict measures of social distance.
"In the month of Ramadan, mosques will operate as usual, including believers will be able to come to the collective prayer of tarawih - the longest night prayer performed by Muslims during the holy month of fasting. But, given the current situation, we still advise believers to stay at home and perform tarawih-namaz with their families. If a person wants to visit a mosque, he must comply with the requirements of sanitary safety: wear mask, do not break the distance, and so on," he told TASS.
The voluntary tarawih prayer is performed in mosques during Ramadan daily after the obligatory night prayer. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the Religious Board did not hold collective tarawih prayers, but their online broadcasts were available to the believers.
During Ramadan, Muslims try to perform pious deeds, give alms and help others. The chairman of the Spiritual Assembly of Muslims of Russia, Albir Krganov, told TASS that in 2021, the assembly calls on all its structures to provide assistance to both Russian citizens in need and migrants. "As far as possible, of course, we will provide assistance in mosques, in compliance with the measures defined by Rospotrebnadzor. We plan to hold small meetings for those in need, and distribute food. This is very important, and we call on people who have such an opportunity to pay attention to the aspirations of people in need, elderly people, veterans, to help large families, migrants. Every year we tried to do this, and this year, of course, we will attract as much as possible our forces to provide assistance, " the mufti told TASS.
The traditional annual cultural and educational project of the Religious Board of Muslims of Moscow, the Religious Board of the Russian Federation and the government of the capital "Ramadan Tent", which takes place during the holy month at the Memorial Mosque on Poklonnaya Hill, will take place in contrast to last year. However, its format will change: for example, iftar (a festive dinner that is eaten after sunset) will be distributed in special lunch boxes and in open areas to reduce the risk of infection of believers with coronavirus. "Inside the tent itself, the number of seats will be limited, and the program of the evening will be reduced. In previous years, the tables were set in the tent in several sets, as there was a constant flow of guests. Unfortunately, this year we are forced to abandon this format, " Alyautdinov told TASS.
According to him, the format of traditional charity events - in particular, the distribution of food packages - will also be different. "This year, this process will be organized taking into account the sanitary and epidemiological requirements. In order to prevent hype, the actions will be held within individual mosques and communities, " he added.
Time of the Holy Month
According to the fatwa (theological conclusion) of the Council of Ulema of the Russian Federation, Ramadan in 2021 will come with the sunset on April 12. The first day of fasting should be considered April 13, the last-May 12. The holiday of Uraza-Bairam (in Arabic-Eid al-Fitr, the day of resurrection after fasting in the month of Ramadan, celebrated on the first day of the following month of Shawwal) will come on May 13. On May 11, the last tarawih prayer will be held.
The date of the holy month is determined according to the Islamic lunar calendar, which dates from the Hijri (July 16, 622 AD) - the date of the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina. It is impossible to determine the exact date of fasting for all Muslims due to the difference in geographical latitudes, so each country has its own countdown of the beginning and end of the holy month.
Ramadan is the month when Muhammad received the news from Allah that he was chosen as his prophet. In this month, the Archangel Jibrail (in the Christian tradition - Gabriel) revealed to him the first surah of the Koran. This happened on Leylat al-Qadr, the Night of Power or Predestination, one of the last nights of the month.
During this month, Muslims in the daytime refuse to eat and drink, entertain, as well as marital relations. Pregnant and lactating women, sick people, children under 7 years of age, as well as travelers are exempt from restrictions (however, these reasons do not completely exempt them from fasting, missed days must be made up at other times). Failure to fast without good reason is considered a great sin.
In 2020, the Council of Ulema of the Russian Federation issued a fatwa, according to which the risk of contracting coronavirus is not a valid reason for not observing fasting during the holy month. At the same time, the observance of fasting by those infected with coronavirus depends on the opinion of a qualified doctor. After recovery, the believer must make up for the missed days of fasting one to one, or if it is impossible to do this due to chronic diseases, give special alms.
Ramadan in the south of Russia
The Religious Board of Adygea and Krasnodar Krai expects that the situation with the new type of coronavirus pandemic will not be complicated, and Muslims will be able to traditionally pray at mosques during the month of Ramadan, Deputy Mufti of Adygea and Krasnodar Krai Ibrahim Shkhalakhov told TASS.
"Now the epidemic situation in Adygea has allowed the authorities to introduce ease in the regime of restrictions, in compliance with sanitary and epidemic standards, events are allowed. We very much hope that it will not worsen, and every needy fasting Muslim will be able to receive iftar at the mosques after the daily evening prayer throughout the month. Of course, because of the pandemic, we will not be able to organize everything on such a large scale as before, " he said.
Funds for iftar are traditionally allocated by the Religious Board of Muslims of Adygea and Kuban, as well as by patrons.
The Supreme Council of the Crimean Religious Board of Muslims, taking into account the trend towards another increase in the incidence of the disease, decided to refuse to have iftar at mosques, Muslims are recommended to do this in their homes. The Mufti of Crimea, Haji Emirali Ablaev, asked for understanding of this decision and once again called for taking precautions in connection with the threat of another wave of infection, the organization told TASS.
Approaches to restrictions in the Caucasus
In the regions of the North Caucasus, there are no plans to restrict believers who want to perform collective prayer. In Kabardino-Balkaria, the cathedral mosque in Nalchik, which was closed for repairs, is due to open its doors to parishioners in the near future. "The mosque is designed for more than 1.5 thousand people, but due to the pandemic and taking into account social distancing, no more than 800 people will gather there, but there is an opportunity to pray in the courtyard. In mosques, people will gather for collective prayer, of course, observing all the rules of individual protection. We recommend not to perform collective iftars in order to prevent close communication, not to provoke the spread of the disease, " Alim Sizhazhev, deputy head of the Religious Board of Muslims of Kabardino-Balkaria, told TASS, noting that such prayers were not performed in mosques last year due to the pandemic.
In Karachay-Cherkessia, where most of the restrictive measures imposed due to the pandemic have been lifted, they also intend to hold collective prayers Juma (Friday prayer) and tarawih in Ramadan, subject to security measures. "There will be no special restrictions. Mass prayers will be conducted with the use of protective equipment, antiseptics and social distance. Citizens over the age of 60 are advised to stay at home, " KCR Deputy Minister for Ethnic Affairs, Mass Communications and the Press Islam Khubiyev told TASS. According to the regional charity fund "Territory of Mercy", in Ramadan, actions will be organized for residents, including the distribution of dates and water to travelers, children from large families will be given gifts, and poor families will be delivered large food packages. If the epidemiological situation is favorable, mass iftars will be held weekly.
In Ingushetia, as in other regions of the North Caucasus Federal District, they do not intend to close mosques due to the coronavirus pandemic, but measures will be taken to protect the faithful. The republic still has a self-isolation regime for people over 60 years old and residents with chronic diseases. "Of course, there will be no such restrictions as last year, but security measures will be observed without fail. Charity events will be held throughout the region, as well as collective iftars, " Magomed Harsiev, head of the Department for Monitoring Interethnic and Interfaith Relations and Mass Media of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, National Policy, Press and Information of the Republic, told TASS.
In Chechnya, charity events have already begun - on the eve of the holy month, the public foundation named after Akhmat-Haji Kadyrov distributed 45 thousand loaves of bread, 900 jars of honey, 15 thousand chickens, 75 thousand packs of cereals, 44.5 thousand packs of seeds and 97,440 bottles of lemonade to the poor and needy residents.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Creative Commons
Based on materials from TASS