Pandemia changes Muslim tradition for Bayram holiday

But this year because of measures against pandemic, many Muslims in the world will not be able to mark this holiday according to common traditions.

Depending on Monday's position, Bajram's celebrations this year begin 23 May or 24 May.

Many prayer ceremonies of the Bajrami holiday, festivals in nature and other public celebrations have been cancelled worldwide because of COVID-19's pandemic.

Travel restrictions are also enabling many families to gather to celebrate. Health experts say the gatherings could result in new outbreaks.

Many markets, which would normally be filled with buyers before Bajrami, are closed as part of the counter measures COVID-19, the disease caused by coronarys.

The tradition of giving money to the poor has also been influenced by increasing limitations and worries that the disease can be transmitted to those who receive money.

Experts say the biggest threat to public health, during the Bajrami holiday, is the tradition of believers who gather together for prayer at the mosque. This practice by some clergymen is considered binding, while others consider it desirable.

Even in conservative Muslim communities, where mosques have remained open throughout Ramadan, some believers have chosen not to go for forgiveness.

The Afghan village of Tagab is northeast of Kabul, in the province of Kapisa. Its residents go to the mosque for prayer.

But the pandemic is in the minds of many.

Early this week, the bodies of three victims from the Coronavirus returned to Tagab, from a hospital in Kabul.

The “will be very different from previous Bajrams”, a resident of the village, told the Afghan Service of Radio Free Europe.

I met a workmate and he told me he hasn't seen me in the mosque lately and wanted to know if I was busy”, Rabbi said.

I told him I'm not busy- so there can't be a pretext for not taking part in prayer at the mosque. But I told him it's because of the quarantine that's going on. Coronervirus' pandemic is here and, therefore, I don't go to mosque”, he said.

In the nearby province of Leghman in the town of Mehtarlam, Imran Arab is planning to begin the festival of Bajram, as he does every year.

After washing in the morning, he will wear new clothes before local imam begins with the prayers of Bajram.

Like other Fiter Bajrami holidays, Arab will eat some cake and read the Koran.

But, Arab and his family, they will stay away from the crowd expected to gather at their local mosque this year.

And I plan to stay at home”, Arab said.

“If I go to make Bayram's prayer at the mosque, in that case we will be forced to stay home in quarantine”, he said.

Sardar Mohammad, a resident near Kabul, says that this year, people must give up the idea of gathering together for Bajram's prayers.

“They must pay attention and impose limits on themselves”, he says, citing that dozens of prisoners in the Charkhi Pul prison have been tested positively for coronary, including some families living nearby.

Thousands of people get together to pray. If only one person with coronary come there, could infect 100 other people and destroy the entire village of”, Mohammad says.

Russia's Mufti, Talgat Tadduddin, says the entire month of Ramadan has been “unic” this year.

Russia's top Muslim cleric approved the closure of mosques during Ramadan, due to the pandemic, and has insisted that there be no mass gatherings and prayers in the group.

Tedzhuddin says believers are not obliged to go to a mosque for group prayer.

According to him, instead of going to the mosque, they can fulfil their obligations during Ramadan, watching imam speeches on the internet and reading the Koran.

In recent years in Moscow, authorities have been forced to close roads during the Bajram holiday due to large crowds of people gathered at the main mosques of the city, including many immigrant workers from predominantly Muslim countries.

But, this year, Moscow mosques will be closed during the Bajram holiday.

Meanwhile, in the Dagestan region in the Northern Caucasus, authorities announced on 21 May that the cities of Kizlyar and Kizilyurt will be in isolation four days during the Bajrami holiday.

There, authorities also said they were considering a possible isolation in Dagestan's capital.

In neighbouring Chechnya, where mosque assembly for Bajrami's prayers is considered an obligation for Muslims, authorities have also canceled mass prayers and ordered that mosques be closed.

But, Interior Minister Ruslan Alkhanov expanded these restrictions, announcing a four-day isolation of people across Chechnya, besides staff from emergency services.

Alkhanov said those who violate this decision -- from May 23rd to May 26th -- will be punished in accordance with law”.

Later, Russian media reported that Ramzan Cadirov, the authoritarian Chechen leader backed by the Kremlin, had been placed under medical surveillance in Moscow because of a suspicion that he was infected with the coronary.

Chechnya Mufti Salakh Mezhiev called on Muslims to celebrate Bayram at home with their families.

Such restrictions in many parts of the world also affect the tradition of charity, which is a pillar of Islam and an important aspect of Ramadan.

According to tradition, believers who participate in Bajrami's prayers give gifts and money to poor people near mosques.

This year, activists from foundations assisting poor people in the Northern Caucasus and Moscow said that during the month of Ramadan, they would not even decide their traditional charity tents.

Rustan Minnikhanov, president of the Republic of Tatarstan of Russia on May 20th, informed Russian President Vladimir Putin that Muslims in this country will celebrate Fiter Bajrami at home.

In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Muslim clergymen announced they have cancelled traditional public gatherings at the mosque for the prayers of Bajrami.

In fact, all former Soviet republics in Central Asia this year have banned Iftar gatherings, throughout the month of Ramadan.

In Kazakhstan, Mufti Naurizbai Kajay Tanganouly announced the annulment of all prayer gatherings at the country's mosques.

Neighboring Uzbekistan has also closed mosques throughout the month of Ramadan.

Respecting health measures during the month of Ramadan has changed from one country to another.

In Pakistan, mosques that were closed in March and April were opened for religious rituals.

Other isolation measures have been eased in this country.

The Pakistani Radio Free Europe Service reports that many people gathered in Pakistani mosques are not applying appropriate health measures to prevent the spread of the coronary.

Relief of the measures has also resulted in gatherings of people in public markets to buy food and gifts for the Bajram holiday.

In Iran, the country, which has been hit hard by the pandemic, the government says Bajram's prayers will be allowed in areas that are designated as low-risk “ ”.

The restrictions on travel between Iranian provinces during Bajrami's holiday have been allowed, to enable Iranian families to get together and celebrate.

In early March, mosques and sacred shrines throughout Iran were closed.

But, in recent weeks, the reopening of mosques was allowed in more than 130 low-risk <x0 cities” provided faithful respect health measures.

During their entry into the mosque, believers must wear masks and gloves and can remain indoors for only 30 minutes.

Food and drink are also forbidden at Iran's mosques. There's got to be some hand disinfectant.

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Tehran has also cancelled nationwide gatherings on the Kurdish Day, which have been held since 1979, when Aiothlah Ruholah Khomeni, proclaimed the last Friday of Ramadan as a day when Muslims express anger over Israel and solidarity with Palestinians.

Instead, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatolah Ali Khamenei, plans to deliver a national television speech on May 22nd.

Since 21 May, Iran has reported about 130,000 cases of coronary infected people, including more than 7,200 deaths, although experts suspect Tehran has not reported full data.