TORONTO -- As Muslims in Canada and around the world prepare to observe the holy month of Ramadan, imams are going to extra lengths to ensure their congregations can remain connected and hopeful during the pandemic.
Farhan Iqbal, an imam with the Baitun Naseer mosque in Ottawa, said he and other imams across the country have been focused on keeping their communities together while lockdown measures keep them physically apart.
“This year Ramadan is going to be different for us because we won’t be able to gather the way we normally do,” he told CTV News' Chief Anchor and Senior Editor Lisa LaFlamme on Thursday.
Liyakat Takim, an imam and professor of Global Islam at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., agreed that this year’s month-long celebration will be more difficult for many Muslims who are used to worshipping and feasting together.
“Normally it’s done together and that’s the element that I think will be hurting a lot of Muslims this month,” he explained to CTV News Channel on Thursday. “The solidarity, the closeness, community feeling, will certainly be missing.”
To prevent this, some imams and mosques are holding virtual sermons and encouraging their congregants to use social media to interact with each other during the religious holiday.
Iqbal encouraged all Canadians to visit VirtualRamadan.ca to experience the month-long celebration through various online events, including livestreamed question and answer periods with different imams, virtual iftaar dinners, which is when Muslims break their daily Ramadan fast at sunset, and challenge to join in the fasting.
“We’re doing a lot of activities virtually through livestream and different platforms so we can remain connected with our congregations,” he said.
While Iqbal supports virtual prayers, Takim said there is a difference of opinion among Muslims about whether it’s possible to pray online. Because some believe it’s not an option, he said it makes it more difficult for them to pray with others during the current health emergency.
“Not only do they have to pray at home with their families, but they cannot even have other members of the family join them, like siblings, or your children, grandchildren because of the current situation,” he said.
Takim also said traditional communal prayers and gatherings to mark the end of Ramadan will also most likely be cancelled this year, which is hard for some people who look forward to the annual events.
What’s more, Takim said many mosques depend on the funding they raise during Ramadan and this year they will likely take a financial hit due to the current crisis.
Despite these obstacles, Iqbal said Ramadan is the perfect time for Muslims to look to their faith for direction in challenging times.
“Ramadan is a time for these kinds of situations where we learn patience, we learn perseverance, we turn to prayer for God to take us out of these difficulties and trials,” he said.
Takim, too, urged Muslims to find time for prayer during Ramadan to help them cope during the pandemic.
“I say spend more time in worship. Many times we complain that we don’t have time, well God has given us time now, a lot of time,” he said.
While the public health measures may seem never-ending to some, Iqbal quoted a sentiment from the Qur'an for guidance.
“There is ease after every hardship,” he said. “We have to stick to this message of hope if we want to come out of this stronger at the end of the day.”
