22 May 2020, 18:55
Muftis and Imams of Northern Caucasus united on holding Eid al-Fitr
Amid the epidemic, believers must observe the self-isolation regime, including on Muslim holidays, the North-Caucasian Muftis and influential Imams believe.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that because of the coronavirus epidemic, Muslims of Southern Russia refused from collective prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. The clergymen of Adygea, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Krasnodar Territory, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia and Stavropol Territory have called to welcome the Eid al-Fitr holiday at home.
Zyakat al-Fitr (alms to needy Muslims) is paid on the last day of the fasting month of Ramadan, while the Al-Kaffarah (atonement) is paid for the missed days of fasting.
"I see no catastrophe in this. Restrictions have no affect on the approach to the holiday, because it can be celebrated at home, within the family," said Asfar Myss, an Imam from Adygea.
Khamzat Chumakov, an imam from Ingushetia, has explained the calls for self-isolation by the region widespread custom to visit relatives, friends and cemeteries during holidays.
For believers, the refusal from the tradition of paying visits on the Eid al-Fitr may be a trial that they must endure, said Mukhammad Rakhimov, a Mufti and the chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of the Stavropol Territory.
Dagestani residents of are also prone to attend mass events, said a former Imam of one of the Salafi mosques of Dagestan. From the first days of the pandemic, the Imam encouraged people to stay at home and not jeopardize themselves or others. "My biggest indignation is that they hadn't close mosques right away ... By the way, there are people even today, who haven't closed mosques and hold prayers," he has added.
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 22, 2020 at 09:33 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
