Ramadan: How to observe di holy month fasting inside coronavirus lockdown

Prayer

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

Wetin we call dis foto, Woman wey dey pray
    • Author, Abdulmalik Fahd Abdulmalik & Mansur Abubakar
    • Role, BBC News Pidgin

Ramadan go start on Friday, 24 April, na so UAE moon-sighting committee tok for Thursday. Muslims go observe fasting for di holy month for 29 or 30 days based on di Islamic (Hijri) calendar.

Dis year tins go dey different sake of di coronavirus pandemic wey don make plenti kontris dey lockdowns and plenti pipo dey isolation.

As more dan 1.9 billion pipo go observe di fast, plenti questions dey onto how easy e go dey to do Ramadan properly.

BBC Pidgin tori pesin Mansur Abubakar follow Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Othman, di chief imam of Kundila Jumu'at mosque for Kano state wey be scholar and sabi pesin for Islam to ask some questions onto how di mata go go.

Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Othman

Wia dis foto come from, Sheik

Wetin we call dis foto, Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Othman tok about Ramadan ontop lockdown

How coronavirus pandemic go change Ramadan for Muslims?

E no get as pesin go tok am but dis year Ramadan go dey different sake of dis Covid-19 palava.

Before wetin suppose happen be say, pipo go gada for mosque for Tafsir (Islamic lectures), congregational prayers and to chop togeda because of Ramadan.

But now e don change and dis kain tins no fit happen; no be just for Nigeria or Egypt even for Saudi Arabia wia Islam most important places Mecca and Medina dey.

Pipo dey pray for mosque for Mecca

Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images

Wetin we call dis foto, Millions of muslims around di world no go fit come togeda to pary because of coronavirus lockdown

How social distancing go affect as tins be plus spiritual practices like Tarawih

E get preventive measures wey dey ground from di healthcare system.

Social distancing don dey already for Islam, for example if pesin don chop garlic, e no go dey allowed to enta mosque, same like onion, make dem protect oda people from di smell.

So if islam fit do tins like social distancing for garlic and onion you sef tink am as e concern, deadly disease wey don kpai plenti pipo? If distancing dey important den muslims must do am sake of how tins dey.

How technology go fit help?

Technology and how e don dey be one of Allah gift to mankind.

"For my Tafsir on Friday, na technology I go use. I go do am from my room." Sheik tok.

Technology go get strong role to play especially as mosques dey closed.

Ibn Othman follow tink say dis na di time wey analogue clerics gatz use technology.

Food go be big issue sake of di coronavirus, wetin pipo wey get plenti fit do to help pipo in need?

Pipo wey dey in need

Wia dis foto come from, Reuters

Wetin we call dis foto, Pipo wey dey in need

Wen pesin dey lockdown, all tins suppose dey ground to help am manage during dis time. Di goment suppose provide for pipo or else e fit be like bad rule.

But no be only goment, if pesin get pass im neighbour e dey important to help, islam dey love dat kain tin.

Wetin Muslims fit learn from dis experience?

E get a lot of tins to learn sake of how coronavirus dey affect evribody. First, Allah dey supreme.

Anoda lesson na patience. Also e dey important to be your broda's keeper because dis na di best time to help oda pipo in time of need and get big reward from Allah.

How Muslims fit make di most of dis isolation period?

Evri disappointment fit be appointment. As you dey isolated dis na di best time to tink about your death, come close to your family, pray togeda and eat together.

Use di time well, read di Quran, plus your five daily prayer, pray at different time and help di needy with your family.

How Eid go change? How di celebration fit be in time of pandemic?

If Juma'at prayer wey dey compulsory fit dey on pause because of di coronavirus, den nothing go happen if dem suspend Eid join.

If Juma'at fit dey suspended even for Mecca den you know we get serious wahala. If time no change and di situation kontinu, den Eid prayer no go dey and celebrations go dey low key.

"Our prayer be say make Allah end dis mata."