This year, the celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr would be restricted to limited people in the wake of the lockdown due to the Novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 infections.
Celebrated after the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims in Hyderabad were asked to offer prayers from homes, instead of gathering outside. Muslim scholars asked the community people to offer ‘four rakat nafil namaz’ or ‘shukhrana namaz’ at their homes.
Jamia Nizamia, an Islamic seminary issued a fatwa regarding the same and urged Muslims not to offer the Eid-ul- Fitr prayers owing to social distancing.
Maulana Mufti Azeemuddin, Jamia Nizamia, said, “When conditions laid for the Eid prayers are not fulfilled the prayers cannot be held or offered. So there will not be any prayers as a sermon and a big gathering is compulsory for Eid prayers. Instead, the Muslims can offer ‘four rakat nafil namaz’ or ‘shukrana’ (thanksgiving prayers) at their homes.”
Meanwhile, Maulana Hafeez Rizwan Qureshi, Khateeb Mecca Masjid who leads the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at Mir Alam Eidgah, said, “Eid prayers cannot be offered like regular prayers by four or five persons as is being allowed due to lockdown. So there will be no Eid namaz anywhere.”
Describing Eid 2020, a resident of Jahanuma said, “The usual excitement is waking up early and rushing to the Eidgah will not be there. We will be deprived of the practice of visiting the homes of relatives in convoy of cars or two-wheelers to extend Eid-ul-Fitr wishes.”
This year, even shops with dresses, bangles and earrings were seen deserted as the people are following the social distancing norms and celebrating Eid indoors.
However, shops selling groceries are jam packed, as people gather to buy essential items for food and seviahah, mutton shops witnessed heavy chaos on the auspicious day of Eid.
While many are missing gatherings, greetings, hugs and gifts, many who are stranded and away from family, celebrated alone remembering their family.
K.Chandrashekar Rao, the Chief Minister of Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of India Ram Nath Kovind extended Eid greeting to Muslims and urged to maintain social distancing.
Twitter is also flooded with Eid wishes and greetings coming from ministers, politicians, celebrities, Bollywood stars and Twitteratis.
