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Soaring infections dampen Eid festivities in Southeast Asia Muslims celebrate major holiday amid curfews, virus fears
(about 2 hours later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Millions of Muslims in Indonesia are marking a muted and gloomy holiday of Eid al-Fitr, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan — a usually joyous three-day celebration that has been significantly toned down as coronavirus cases soar. JAKARTA, Indonesia — Muslims around the world on Sunday began celebrating Eid al-Fitr, a normally festive holiday marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, with millions under strict stay-at-home orders and many fearing renewed coronavirus outbreaks.
The world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, with more than 240 million people, has reported nearly 22,000 infections and 1,350 fatalities, the most in Southeast Asia. It means no congregational prayers at mosques and open fields, no family reunions, no relatives bearing gifts for children. The three-day holiday is usually a time of travel, family get-togethers and lavish daytime feasts after weeks of dawn-to-dusk fasting. But this year many can only celebrate at home with immediate family, with virus fears dampening the holiday spirit.
“This outbreak is not just dampening spirits of Eid, but also has made the tradition entirely different,” said Andieka Rabbani, a university student in Jakarta. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has reported nearly 22,000 infections and 1,350 fatalities, the most in Southeast Asia. Lockdown orders intended to contain the pandemic mean there will be no congregational prayers at mosques or even open fields, no family reunions, no relatives bearing gifts for children.
This year, like other Indonesians, he can only greet his cousins and friends through video calls. “This outbreak is not just dampening spirits of Eid, but also has made the tradition entirely different,” said Andieka Rabbani, a university student in Jakarta. This year, like many Indonesians, he will only see family and friends through video calls.
In deeply conservative Aceh, Indonesia’s only province enforcing Islamic sharia law, public Eid prayers can still be performed at mosques and fields, but without shaking hands and with limited sermons. The iconic public parade of decorated vehicles with loudspeakers invoking God’s name was scrapped this year. In deeply conservative Aceh, Indonesia’s only province enforcing Islamic law, public Eid prayers can still be performed at mosques and fields, but without shaking hands and with shortened sermons. An annual parade of decorated vehicles with loudspeakers invoking God’s name was scrapped this year.
“It’s too sad ... the whole week used to be one long festival, but not this time,” said Muchtar Yusuf, a resident of Aceh’s Lhokseumawe city. “It’s too sad ... the whole week used to be one long festival, but not this time,” said Muchtar Yusuf, an Aceh resident.
The province has reported zero coronavirus cases in the past weeks and has had only one death and 19 confirmed infections. The province has reported zero coronavirus cases in the past weeks and has had only one death and 19 confirmed infections. In the rest of Indonesia, authorities have extended virus restrictions to June 4, suspending communal gatherings and banning private cars from leaving the capital, Jakarta.
Unlike Aceh, mosques and fields in Jakarta, which are usually always crowded with Eid worshippers, stood empty after authorities extended the restrictions to June 4, suspended communal gatherings and banned private cars from leaving the capital. The virus causes mild to moderate flu-like symptoms in most patients, who recover within two to three weeks. But it is highly contagious and can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health conditions.
Jakarta has become the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia with 6,515 confirmed cases with 501 deaths as of Saturday. Eid celebrations also were low-key in neighboring Muslim-majority Malaysia. Businesses have mostly reopened after weeks of lockdown, but mass gatherings are still banned and ethnic Malay Muslims are not allowed to travel back to their villages.
Eid celebrations also were low-key in neighboring Muslim-majority Malaysia. Businesses have mostly reopened after weeks of virus shutdown, but mass gatherings are still banned and ethnic Malay Muslims are not allowed to travel back to their villages. Police have turned away more than 5,000 cars trying to head back to their hometowns in the last few days and have warned of strict penalties for those who try to evade authorities.
Police have turned away more than 5,000 cars trying to head back to their hometowns in the last few days and have warned of strict penalties against those who sneaked back. The pandemic has also led to the cancellation of the “open house” tradition, where Muslims invite family and friends to their homes for a feast. The prime minister and government officials usually host open house events that attract thousands of people.
The pandemic has also canceled the “open house” tradition, where Muslims invite family and friends to their homes for a feast. This year, the government allowed family members living nearby to visit each other on Sunday only, but the gatherings must not exceed 20 people in the same house.
The prime minister and government officials usually host open house events that attract thousands of people. This year, the government allowed family members living nearby to visit each other on Sunday only, but the gatherings must not exceed 20 people in the same house.
Mosques have reopened but are limited to small congregations of up to 30 people.Mosques have reopened but are limited to small congregations of up to 30 people.
Rohaizam Zainuddin said he was blessed he could celebrate Eid with his elderly parents living nearby but his sister in another state couldn’t return home. Usually, the house will be teeming with visiting relatives and well-wishers on the first day of Eid, but Rohaizam said he expects most of them to stay away this year. Rohaizam Zainuddin said he was blessed he could celebrate Eid with his elderly parents living nearby, but his sister in another state could not return home.
“We feel sad and being human, we are frustrated that celebration this year is not the same,” he said. “But there is no point getting angry. We just have to accept it, life goes on.” “We feel sad and, being human, we are frustrated that celebration this year is not the same,” he said. “But there is no point getting angry. We just have to accept it, life goes on.”
Everyone in the family has put on new clothes and traditional dishes, and cookies are ready for any visitors, along with a thermometer and hand sanitizer to comply with health measures, he added. He and his family members are still wearing new clothes and preparing traditional dishes. Plates of cookies are set out for any visitors, alongside a thermometer and hand sanitizer, in keeping with regulations.
Malaysia has reported 7,185 infections and 115 deaths, but officials fear the Eid festivities could spark a new wave if people ignore social distancing and health measures. Malaysia has reported 7,185 infections and 115 deaths, but officials fear the Eid festivities could spark a new wave of infections if people ignore social distancing and health measures.
In his Eid message broadcast late Saturday, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin, who is under a two-week quarantine after being in contact with a government official diagnosed with the virus, reminded Muslims to be responsible and follow strict health guidelines. In Pakistan, Eid is being celebrated in the shadow of the coronavirus and in the wake of a passenger plane crash near Karachi on Friday that killed 97 people.
He urged them to ensure their homes are cleaned up immediately after hosting guests, and also to refrain from visiting graves, a norm during Eid. For the first time, Pakistan is celebrating Eid countrywide on the same day, ending an annual controversy between rival committees over the moon sighting that signals the start of the holiday.
“To preserve life, we have to sacrifice some of our traditions or norms so as to prevent infection,” he said. Pakistan has taken measures to control the spread of the coronavirus since mid-March, but Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to close mosques during Ramadan, despite pleas from doctors and a rising number of infections. Pakistan has reported more than 52,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths.
For the first time, Pakistan is celebrating Eid countrywide on the same day, ending an annual controversy over the moon sighting, with rival committees disagreeing over the holiday’s start date. More than 1,000 worshippers gathered and prayed shoulder-to-shoulder in a open field in Karachi on Sunday, with only a few of them wearing face-masks.
In previous years, Pakistan’s Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan, celebrated Eid a day before the rest of the country, but on the same day as much of the rest of the Muslim world. The rest of Pakistan followed the next day. In Jerusalem, Israeli police said they broke up an “illegal demonstration” and arrested two people outside the Al-Aqsa mosque, which Muslim authorities have closed for prayers since mid-March and will not reopen until after the holiday. An Associated Press reporter at the scene said worshippers had tried to enter the compound.
Pakistan has been in a lockdown to control the spread of the coronavirus since mid-March but Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to close mosques during Ramadan, despite pleas from doctors and a rising number of COVID-19 infections. Pakistan has more than 52,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths. Al-Aqsa is the third holiest site in Islam and would ordinarily welcome tens of thousands of worshippers during the Eid. The hilltop compound is also the holiest site for Jews, who know it as the Temple Mount. The site has long been a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
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Ng reported from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Kathy Gannon contributed to this report from Islamabad, Pakistan. Ng reported from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Associated Press writers Kathy Gannon in Islamabad and Joseph Krauss in Jerusalem contributed.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.