Virus lockdowns stifle Eid celebrations as global infections rise

Festivities are overshadowed by coronavirus, with many countries tightening lockdown restrictions after a partial easing during Ramadan led to a sharp spike in infections

  • Muslim worshipers offer Eid al-Fitr prayer that marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at a park in Jaffa, May 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
    Muslim worshipers offer Eid al-Fitr prayer that marks the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan at a park in Jaffa, May 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)
  • This picture taken early on May 24, 2020 shows worshippers gathering before the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr (AFP)
    This picture taken early on May 24, 2020 shows worshippers gathering before the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr (AFP)
  • Masked people offer the Eid al-Fitr prayer amid concerns of the coronavirus outbreak at historical Suleymaniye Mosque, in Istanbul, May 24, 2020 (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
    Masked people offer the Eid al-Fitr prayer amid concerns of the coronavirus outbreak at historical Suleymaniye Mosque, in Istanbul, May 24, 2020 (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)
  • Palestinians perform an Eid al-Fitr prayer despite concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak at a mosque in Gaza City early on May 24, 2020, after the local authorities allowed mosques to reopen amid the easing of some social distancing restrictions. (MAHMUD HAMS / AFP)
    Palestinians perform an Eid al-Fitr prayer despite concerns over the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak at a mosque in Gaza City early on May 24, 2020, after the local authorities allowed mosques to reopen amid the easing of some social distancing restrictions. (MAHMUD HAMS / AFP)
  • The Imam of a local mosque in the village of Shamma in Egypt's northern Nile delta province of Menoufia stands clad in mask due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic by a window near the mosque early on May 24, 2020, before the prayers of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which starts at the conclusion of the holy fasting month of Ramadan (Mohamed el-Shahed / AFP)
    The Imam of a local mosque in the village of Shamma in Egypt's northern Nile delta province of Menoufia stands clad in mask due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic by a window near the mosque early on May 24, 2020, before the prayers of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which starts at the conclusion of the holy fasting month of Ramadan (Mohamed el-Shahed / AFP)
  • Muslim worshipers stand spaced from each other, as a measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as they gather to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which starts at the conclusion of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Iran's capital Tehran on May 24, 2020 AFP)
    Muslim worshipers stand spaced from each other, as a measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as they gather to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which starts at the conclusion of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Iran's capital Tehran on May 24, 2020 AFP)
  • A man sits outside the Pul-e Khishti mosque at the start of the Eid al-Fitr festival which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Kabul on May 24, 2020 (WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP)
    A man sits outside the Pul-e Khishti mosque at the start of the Eid al-Fitr festival which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Kabul on May 24, 2020 (WAKIL KOHSAR / AFP)
  • Muslims offer Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Eidgah Sharif Darbar in Rawalpindi on May 24, 2020 (Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
    Muslims offer Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Eidgah Sharif Darbar in Rawalpindi on May 24, 2020 (Aamir QURESHI / AFP)
  • Muslim women take selfies after offering Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore on May 24, 2020 (Arif ALI / AFP)
    Muslim women take selfies after offering Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore on May 24, 2020 (Arif ALI / AFP)
  • Muslim women worshipers, standing spaced from each other with some clad in masks as a measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as they gather to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which starts at the conclusion of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Iran's capital Tehran on May 24, 2020 (STRINGER / AFP)
    Muslim women worshipers, standing spaced from each other with some clad in masks as a measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as they gather to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which starts at the conclusion of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Iran's capital Tehran on May 24, 2020 (STRINGER / AFP)
  • Illustrative: Muslims offer Eid al-Fitr prayers at a ground in Karachi on May 24, 2020 ( Asif HASSAN / AFP)
    Illustrative: Muslims offer Eid al-Fitr prayers at a ground in Karachi on May 24, 2020 ( Asif HASSAN / AFP)
  • Imams observe social distance rules as they attend the Eid al-Fitr prayers, at the Grand Mosque in Pristina on May 24, 2020 (Armend NIMANI / AFP)
    Imams observe social distance rules as they attend the Eid al-Fitr prayers, at the Grand Mosque in Pristina on May 24, 2020 (Armend NIMANI / AFP)

RIYADH (AFP) — Muslims around the world began marking a somber Eid al-Fitr Sunday, many under coronavirus lockdown, but lax restrictions offer respite to worshipers in some countries despite fears of skyrocketing infections.

The festival, one of the most important in the Muslim calendar marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is traditionally celebrated with mosque prayers, family feasts and shopping for new clothes, gifts and sweet treats.

But this year, the celebration is overshadowed by the fast-spreading respiratory disease, with many countries tightening lockdown restrictions after a partial easing during Ramadan led to a sharp spike in infections.

Further dampening the festive spirit, countries from Saudi Arabia to Egypt, Turkey and Syria have banned mass prayer gatherings, a festival highlight, to limit the spread of the disease.

This picture taken early on May 24, 2020, shows worshipers gathering in rows before the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Mecca to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr (AFP)

Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s holiest sites, began a five-day, round-the-clock curfew from Saturday after infections more than quadrupled since the start of Ramadan to around 68,000 –- the highest in the Gulf.

Eid prayers will be held at the two holy mosques in the cities of Mecca and Medina “without worshipers,” authorities said on Saturday, citing a royal decree.

Mecca’s Grand Mosque has been almost devoid of worshipers since March, with a stunning emptiness enveloping the sacred Kaaba — a large cube-shaped structure towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, will reopen to worshipers only after Eid, its governing body said.

Worshipers gather to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr outside the closed Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem’s Old City early on May 24, 2020 (AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP)

In Lebanon, the highest Sunni religious authority has announced the reopening of mosques only for Friday prayers. Worshipers, however, will be subject to temperature checks and sanitary controls before they enter.

Fears of ‘new peak’

Meanwhile, Muslims across Asia — from Indonesia to Pakistan, Malaysia and Afghanistan — thronged markets for pre-festival shopping, flouting coronavirus guidelines and sometimes even police attempts to disperse large crowds.

“For over two months my children were homebound,” said Ishrat Jahan, a mother of four, at a bustling market in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi.

“This feast is for the kids, and if they can’t celebrate it with new garments, there is no point in us working so hard throughout the year.”

Pakistan, which gave into religious pressure by allowing mosque prayers throughout the fasting of Ramadan, is yet to make a decision over mass gatherings during Eid.

Indonesians attend Eid al-Fitr prayers, marking the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on a street in Solo, Central Java, on May 24, 2020. (DIKA / AFP)

In Indonesia –- the world’s most populous Muslim nation — people are turning to smugglers and fake travel documents to get around bans on the annual end-of-Ramadan travel that could send infections soaring.

More than 3,500 Tunisians who traveled home just ahead of the holiday will have to spend it away from their families, forced to quarantine for two weeks in hotels after arriving from abroad.

Atef Maherzi, a doctor repatriated Tuesday from Saudi Arabia, said she would be catching up with family over Skype, forgoing her usual role of host.

“Usually, I’m the mistress of the house, but this time, my husband will receive the guests alone.”

The COVID-19 death tolls across the Middle East and Asia have been lower than in Europe and the United States, but numbers are rising steadily, sparking fears the virus may overwhelm often underfunded healthcare systems.

Iran, which has experienced the Middle East’s deadliest outbreak, has called on its citizens to avoid travel during Eid as it battles to control infection rates.

Iran shut schools and places of worship and banned inter-city travel for the Persian New Year holidays in March, but the restrictions were recently eased.

Muslim worshipers stand spaced from each other, as a measure against the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, as they gather to attend the prayers of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which starts at the conclusion of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, in Iran’s capital Tehran on May 24, 2020 AFP)

Health Minister Saeed Namaki said that the country was focusing hard on avoiding “new peaks of the disease” caused by people “not respecting health regulations.”

The exact date of Eid has yet to be set in the Shiite-majority country, but will likely be Monday, in line with the Shiite community’s celebrations in Iraq, as announced by top cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani.

Sunnis in Iraq will mark the start of the festival on Sunday.

‘Comedy night’

The neighboring United Arab Emirates has tightened its lockdown, with the night-time curfew starting at 8:00 pm (1600 GMT) instead of 10:00 pm during Ramadan.

But that has not stopped some families from planning getaways to luxury beachfront hotels in Ajman or Ras Al-Khaimah emirates.

However, Muslims in many countries are set for frugal celebrations amid growing financial distress.

The twin shocks of coronavirus restrictions and falling oil prices have plunged the region into the worst economic crisis in decades.

Muslims offer Eid al-Fitr prayers at the Eidgah Sharif Darbar in Rawalpindi on May 24, 2020 (Aamir QURESHI / AFP)

The coronavirus restrictions have hit businesses hard, including retailers who would normally be preparing for the festive rush, as Muslims save their money for masks, gloves and other COVID-19 protective gear.

In the Syrian capital Damascus, Eid shoppers rummaged through flea markets for clothes at bargain prices as the war-ravaged and sanctions-hit country grapples with a much more entrenched economic crisis.

“The flea market is the only place I can buy something new to wear for the Eid holidays,” 28-year-old Sham Alloush told AFP.

“Had it not been for this place, I wouldn’t have been able to buy new clothes at all.”

But promising some laughs in these dire times, 40 Muslim comedians from across the world will host a virtual show on Sunday called “The Socially Distant Eid Comedy Night.”

“This Ramadan has been particularly difficult for communities around the world,” said Muddassar Ahmed, head of the Concordia Forum, the organizer of the event.

“We’re proud to be pulling together some of the brightest Muslim comedic talent to entertain those celebrating the Eid festival at home, people looking to learn a little bit about Muslim culture, or really anyone in need of a good laugh.”

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