Do not eat anything all day, for four weeks – in the middle of the corona pandemic? This is exactly what most Muslims in Egypt want to do. They have the blessings of the highest religious institutions.
By Björn Blaschke, ARD studio Cairo
Sugar, tea, rice, dried beans – the shopping cart that Fatma is pushing out of the supermarket is full. She does her last Ramadan purchases. The month of Lent is holy to devout Muslims: between sunrise and sunset they are then not allowed to eat or drink. But even at night, as long as the sun is not shining, they should eat modestly. And consider generously poorer people with food.
“It strengthens the immune system”
Fatma says that this year, too, she will abide by the Ramadan commandments. “I’m going to fast. No, I’m not afraid of Corona. I could get infected at any time. It has nothing to do with fasting. It even strengthens the immune system.”
Fatma sees as little as Hisham that the body is weakened in the first days of Lent and could thus be more vulnerable to viruses. He is a security guard and is convinced of the power of fasting. “Ramadan helps against the virus. God told us: Fast, then you will stay healthy! If we fast for 30 days, fasting will cleanse our bodies of all diseases. And so God will end this epidemic.”
Many Egyptians want to fast
Everyone interviewed for this report wants to fast in Ramadan. They act in the sense of the religious institutions of Egypt. Above all, the Azhar, the most important teaching institution in Sunni Islam. As an Azhar scholar, Khaled Omran is Secretary General of the Fatwa Council in Dar al-Iftaa, a division of the Egyptian Ministry of Justice. Dar al-Iftaa is responsible for the preparation of Islamic legal opinions – so-called fatwas. The fatwa, too, which says that fasting will continue in Ramadan 2020. Sheikh Khaled says:
“The Grand Mufti, the Ministry of Islamic Religious Foundations and the Islamic Theological Research College, which belongs to the Azhar, met with specialized committees. All of them worked out the legal opinion, which states that fasting is also a duty in Ramadan. People Those who develop Covid-19 must follow the advice of a specialist. If he tells them not to fast, they have to stop. “
WHO sees no problems
In principle, sick people and travelers are released from the duty to fast in Ramadan. That believers also fast in times of Corona corresponds to the line of the World Health Organization (WHO). She writes on a page with Ramadan tips: “Healthy people should be able to (…) fast as in previous years.” But the organization also emphasizes: “So far there are no studies on fasting and the risk of infection.”
The religious scholars in Egypt see themselves confirmed:
“We took into account the recommendations and views of the doctors and WHO and formed special commissions on our part with the aim of making a decision about fasting. To our surprise, the reports and views of the specialist doctors showed that fasting in Ramadan contributed to healthy and proper nutrition does not affect the immune system. “
No big poor meals
However, the usual social activities should turn out on a large scale. So there are no Ramadan tablets this year. Long tables where usually many arms come together to break the fast so that the rich can entertain them.
“The satisfaction of God can be achieved in many ways. We therefore recommend that people look for alternatives for rites in which crowds of people are currently forbidden. There are options that fulfill the purpose of the rite and social cohesion equally Distributing Ramadan Food to the Needy – Some are now choosing to distribute the food in Ramadan through NGOs that have been licensed by the state, others are giving cash, and the door is open to good ideas that serve a good cause and at the same time protect against the virus. “
Mosques remain closed
The mosques in Egypt have been closed for weeks – and will remain so during Ramadan. The daily community prayers in the holy month have to be small due to Corona. Human life has priority, says Sheikh Khaled Omran:
“The matter of community prayer should not be seen so closely. In this situation we say that it is time to pray with the family at home, which also has a very positive, social and spiritual effect on family life together.”
Rania and Mohammed, who have just bought for Ramadan, also adhere to this: they want to fast, but keep their distance from other people – including relatives. And yet they say that they will miss the community prayers in the mosque and the relatives visits. Luckily, good wishes can also be expressed over the phone, says Mohammed.
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