SHAFAQNA- Mosques across Canada were allowed to broadcast a five-minute call to prayer each evening during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ramadan is looking a lot different for Muslims across the globe due to physical distancing restrictions placed upon the holy Month by the COVID-19 pandemic. In some countries where Ramadan is widely celebrated, the call to prayer is often broadcast over a loudspeaker. In Canada, and more specifically Toronto, prayers are usually done at sunset without a call. But nowadays, Toronto is helping the Muslim community cope with the crisis by granting all local mosques permission for the first time to broadcast the call to prayer, called the Adhan, over speakers at sunset every day during Ramadan.
“The reason why this time it’s so important for us [is] because the [city] is allowing us to say the Adhan publicly,” said Alhaj Abubakar, the imam at a Mosque in Toronto. “We are very, very happy.” The call to prayer will be broadcast for several minutes at the mosque, starting at sunset, for the rest of Ramadan, signalling that the fast for the day has ended, according to CBC. The City of Ottawa has also granted a new noise exemption to allow Mosques to broadcast a call to prayer at sundown until May 23, in recognition of the holy month of Ramadan.
In a statement on Twitter, Mayor Jim Watson said “I hope this will help our Muslims friends in their observance of this sacred month of devotion and spiritual reflection. Ramadan Mubarak!”, CTV News told. The Ummah Masjid and Community Centre obtained an approval from the City of Halifax to allow all mosques in Halifax to play the Adhan through loudspeakers at sunset during the Month of Ramadan.
“This is a show of unity and solidarity that HRM will overcome these problems and difficult times together,” the mosque said in a statement. The Mosque is also reminding everyone that this is only a call to prayer and that no congregations that violate Coronavirus public health measures can occur. “We ask everyone to respect these rules and the UMCC staff will enforce regulations stipulated by public health,” it said. The Mosque also said it will broadcast the adhan live on their Facebook page, so that people can watch and listen to it from home, Global News told.
Mississauga council has voted to allow Mosques in the city to do calls to prayer during Ramadan. Mississauga mosques and “other non-residential buildings regularly used for worship” can send out only one call to prayer in the evening, according to the motion moved by Ward 9 Coun. Pat Saito. Mississauga Imam Nafis Bhayat, who is head imam at Jame Masjid, said the call usually acts as an alert for the congregation to stop other activities and come to pray up to five times a day. While service in mosques are not allowed during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said hearing the call to prayer will help Muslims in Mississauga prepare for prayers at home.
“It will help them stay connected, because a lot of the times when we are at home, we get involved in some stuff and we forget the prayer timing,” he said. In a press release following the motion to allow the calls, the Muslim Council of Peel (MCP) said that physical distancing had made Ramadan “very difficult” for those seeking a sense of community during the month.
“The decision gives the community great solace during Ramadan, when we would be assembling at the Mosque every evening breaking fast in Ramadan — our holiest of months,” said MCP director Rabia Khedr. Bhayat said if allowed by the city, his mosque would be sending out the calls. “Maybe (Muslims) will be able to hear it in the home; it will give them some sort of satisfaction,” he said, the Star reported.