Madinah Mukamwezi, 44 has been fasting during the month of Ramadan since she was 16 years old.

Since this year began, Mukamwezi has been looking forward to introducing her two teenage sons to fasting but her excitement has since waned.

In an interview with The New Times, Mukamwezi says that while fasting itself is noble, the other activities of generosity that are involved like visiting the sick, feeding the poor and going for night prayers, all which have been banned due to COVID-19, are what cement her fasting period.

"These are unusual times, so we must adjust. We will still fast but it’s going to be the first time for me to fast when I can’t freely visit people or go to the mosque. It is unfortunate but it is necessary,” she says. 

During the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar, Muslims are expected to fast from dawn to dusk. This means that they wake up early to eat a pre-dawn meal and they break their fast with a meal referred to as iftar.

While there are exceptions made for the pregnant, sick or elderly, every other Muslim is obliged to refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours.

They are required to abstain from drinking, eating, immoral acts like sex between unmarried couples and anger.

Muslims are instead encouraged to immerse themselves in other worship activities such as prayer, reading the Quran and charity work.

An unusual Ramadan

Mukamwezi is not the only one who will have an unusual Ramadan this year.

As all nations take precautions to curb the spread of the coronavirus by limiting or banning social gatherings and closing all places of worship, this year’s Ramadan is expected to be less festive.

Globally, an estimated one billion Muslims are expected to fast every year and will have to readjust to the usual Ramadan ‘culture’ of hosting large fast-breaking dinners called ‘Iftar’.

They will not visit and care for the less privileged and they won’t be able to go to mosques for prayers.

The Mufti of Rwanda, Sheikh Salim Hitimana, encourages the Muslim community in the country to continue helping the less privileged but to do so within the guidelines issued by the Ministry of health.

"During the month of Ramadan, we enjoy socialising, mostly breaking the fast together, going for prayers in groups but this year, I call on the Muslim community to stay at home so that they do not endanger themselves or others,” he said. 

Hitimana called on Rwandans to continue praying hard so that the pandemic, which has killed over 180,000 people all over the world can end.

In Saudi Arabia, Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh, the highest religious authority in the kingdom, told the media on Wednesday that prayers during Ramadan, including nightly and Eid al-Fitr prayers, should be performed at home as the pandemic rages on around the world.

During Ramadan, street traders in the Egyptian capital Cairo stack their tables with dates and apricots, sweet fruits to break the fast, and the city’s walls with towers of traditional lanterns known as "fawanees”.

However, this year, authorities have imposed a night curfew and banned communal prayers and other activities, meaning that not many people see much point in buying the lanterns.

Ramadan calendar

This year’s Ramadan has been confrimed to start on Friday, April 24.

"Since Ramadan is part of the lunar calendar, its date changes annually. We heavily rely on Saudi Arabia to announce that the moon has been sighted before announcing the first day of Ramadan. We are still waiting to confirm but we expect to start fasting on Friday,” Sheikh Hitimana said.

Islam, which literally means "to submit to God", is based on ‘Five Pillars’, to which all members must adhere. The first one is the Profession of Faith that states that "There is no God but God and Muhammad is his prophet.

The other pillars include praying five times a day, sharing their wealth with those less fortunate, fasting during Ramadan and making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

The end of Ramadan

Depending on when the new moon is sighted, Lunar months last between 29 to 30 days. If the moon is not seen on the night of the 29th day, then Ramadan lasts for the full 30 days.

This year, the Eid al-Fitr celebration, which marks the end of a successful Ramadan is expected to fall between May 23 and May 24.