Why religious holidays should not be postponed
As Covid-19 has put the public life to a standstill worldwide and everything is closed, believers of any faith with special days during this time are facing big challenges. Passover, Easter and Ramadan are all approaching – usually events celebrated together in congregation and family gatherings.
A big part of Ramadan are prayers in congregation and breaking the fast together with family, friends and the community. According to the faith of Islam the Quran was revealed during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. This month is a time of fasting, where every adult who is able to will abstain from food and drink from dawn until sunset. During this time Muslims strive to improve themselves and increase their acts of worship. They take the time to reflect and cleanse their lives for the better. It is also a month to strengthen your bond with the Quran, be thankful for what you have and give charity to those in need. Many of these activities can be done during isolation as well.
It will be challenging to have a different Passover, Easter and Ramadan this year, but it’s possible to create a meaningful time. After all, many prophets (peace be upon them all) received blessings and revelations while in isolation. Isolation can also be used as a state of deep reflection. So maybe we can use this year to concentrate on just that – reflecting on trials & blessings and on how we can help out others during these challenging times.
Some public discussions about whether to postpone religious holidays because of the lockdown hardly seem like a solution. Of course we should adhere to the regulations due to Covid-19, but it doesn’t make sense to just cancel everything. Religious holidays follow a certain calendar and can’t just be postponed like other events. And they don’t have to. Yes, it will be a different experience, but religious holidays can still be observed. There is no contradiction in observing the holiday and sticking to the regulations at the same time.
Free Ramadan planner 2020
To help you out during these challenging times, we offer a free planner for the approaching month of Ramadan. You can download it here. Spread the word if you like this idea!