London’s Muslim community celebrates Ramadan remotely

For the second year, the pandemic is affecting how London’s Muslim community observes Ramadan.

Under current provincial restrictions, places of worship are allowed to open with 15 per cent capacity, but London’s Muslim institutions have elected to keep mosques closed during the stay-at-home order.

“We consulted doctors here in our community, people who are at the frontlines of this pandemic, and they are telling us the ICU’s are over capacity and this is a really difficult moment for the pandemic,” said Aarij Anwer, interim Imam for the London Muslim Mosque.

“The mosque is our spiritual home. To lose access to it is like you’ve lost access to your home,” Anwer said.

In an effort to reduce the potential spread of COVID-19, the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is advising that celebrations, meals and prayers be limited only to those who live in the same household and that any contact with friends and family be virtual.

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“As a community, we feel spiritually homeless this month without being able to access the mosque for prayers,” Anwer said.

“More than anything else, the sense of community that comes from gathering and congregating together, we’re missing that and it’s very difficult.”

The health unit says the ongoing presence of COVID-19 in our communities means celebrations will have to be modified again this year.

“Keeping physical distance, wearing a mask, washing our hands frequently and not gathering with anyone outside of your household are the best things we can do right now for our friends and our family members,” said Dr. Alex Summers, the associate medical officer of health at MLHU.

“We are currently seeing some of the highest levels of COVID-19 activity in the community since the pandemic began. It will be challenging to limit the kind of interaction with family and friends that is such an important part of Ramadan, but it is necessary if we’re going to limit potential virus spread.”

There is more information, including recommendations about observing Ramadan safely, on the Canadian Muslim COVID-19 Task Force website.

The task force stresses that vaccines are Halal, and are permissible for Muslims to take. It recommends that members of the Muslim community get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.