Calgary Muslims begin 2nd Ramadan in shadow of COVID-19

Muslims all over Calgary are beginning a month of fasting, prayer and self-reflection as the Islamic holy month of Ramadan gets underway this week.

It's the second year running that COVID-19 will limit religious and family gatherings, but it also means a more reflective and, for some, a more religious and family-oriented Ramadan spent mostly at home.

Muslims will fast every day from dawn to sunset while placing a greater focus on charity and generosity, as well as spending more time reading the Qur'an and in prayer.

The home of the Al Shami family is adorned inside and out with Ramadan decorations, including crescent moons and a homemade mosque that takes pride of place in the centre of the living room, complete with a call to prayer played on a cellphone.

The kids' rooms feature hand-decorated Ramadan T-shirts and Eid countown calendars pinned to the wall. 

The newcomers from Syria have been trying to keep up with demand for their homemade Arabic treats, food and Ramadan decorations, sold through their Facebook page to families all over the city.

"I make it from my hands, my children help me, and my husband," said Aisha Al Haddad, who runs her small home-based business, Arabesque Food and Gifts.

"Many people call me and make an order, 'We need this,'" she said, speaking about her popular Middle Eastern sweets and food, purchased to be given as gifts and eaten during nightly iftar meals, when people break their fast.

Al Haddad makes Arabic food like kubba, almond treats called louzina, chocolate covered dates and colourful sugar cookies with crescent moons and mosques imprinted in the icing.

"Before corona, we would make cookies for Ramadan and food to put in packages and take them over to my neighbours, but now because of corona we can't," she said.

Ramadan looks a lot different again this year, coinciding this time with a third wave of COVID and new variants of the virus that weren't around last year.

Mosques will hold online prayers and plan to stay below the maximum capacity under tightened restrictions, rather than push the limits.

"It's not survival of the fittest but survival of the most adaptable," said Fayaz Tilly, an imam at Akram Jomaa Islamic Centre in northeast Calgary.

"If that means we have to stay home and isolate, there is definitely elevation in isolation as well," said Tilly.

For some Muslims, that pandemic-induced isolation makes for a deeper spiritual experience, with more self-reflection and self-evaluation.

"Many people looking back at Ramadan 2020, despite the trials and tribulations, they really enjoyed it. They went from lavish meals to simpler meals, simpler conversations to more meaningful conversations," said Tilly. 

"But people are still definitely looking forward to when the time comes that we can break bread, or dates, together again," he said.

Tilly says Muslims can still receive coronavirus vaccinations while fasting, so Ramadan won't impact rollout in the community.

He says he's had lots of questions about vaccines.

The City of Calgary has given mosques the go-ahead to play the call to prayer on loudspeakers outside mosques again this year.

Congregations inside mosques are limited to 15 per cent of fire code occupancy.

Physical distancing must be maintained along with mask use, and faith group meetings aren't permitted in private homes.