It is Ramzan-eve. At this time of the year, grocery shops would be flooded with buyers. There would be an abundance of fruit sellers and pushcarts would be piled with dates in the brightly lit markets in Charminar. From mosques, one would hear the Taraweeh congregation. But as Telangana witnesses an increase of 13 COVID-19 positive cases on Friday, taking the number of cases to over 900, Ramzan this year is a quiet affair.
As the Markazi Ruiyat-e-Hilal (moon sighting) Committee announced the arrival of Ramzan on Friday evening, sirens from mosques went off. Unlike the preceding years, a rush at grocery stores was not seen.
“As soon I heard the siren, I used to rush to buy dates and other groceries. But this year, I stayed at home because of the lockdown. With the rain, I did not even go to the roof to try to sight the crescent. Coronavirus has changed how we observe and welcome Ramzan. We will pray at home as much as we can for humanity and that normalcy returns soon. It is important to follow the government’s instructions,” says Abu Osman, an entrepreneur.
Many left homes to buy essential supplies during the day, much before the 6 p.m. deadline. However, the hustle and bustle was missing.
“Around 8 p.m., my mother, father and I would go to the masjid for Taraweeh prayers. This year it will not happen,” notes Ayesha Syed, an engineer and resident of Manikonda.
Since a vast majority of Muslims give alms in the form of Zakaat (2.5% of one’s annul savings) to the poor in the month of Ramzan, some said that they did this much in advance.
“The Muslim ulama (clergy) had issued a statement that Zakaat can be given to the poor before Ramzan came. This is why some people from my family identified a few beneficiaries and gave money to them or bought ration packs for them. There is nothing we can do at this time except help one another, especially the poor,” says Waseem Khan, a resident of Noor Khan Bazaar.
Earlier this week, All India Majlis-e-Ittahadul Muslimeen legislator Akbar Uddin Owaisi had urged Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to use funds earmarked for clothing packs to be utilised for preparing and distributing ration kits to poor Muslim families.
