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The Pandemic Upends Islam’s Holiest Month The Pandemic Upends Islam’s Holiest Month
(8 days later)
Ali Mamun, a Bangladeshi immigrant who worked as a psychiatrist in Brooklyn, contracted the coronavirus in March and died three weeks later, just days before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.Ali Mamun, a Bangladeshi immigrant who worked as a psychiatrist in Brooklyn, contracted the coronavirus in March and died three weeks later, just days before the start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.
He was buried in New Jersey, more than an hour from his home in New York, because the number of dead had so overwhelmed nearby Muslim funeral homes and cemeteries that his family was forced to go farther to follow tradition and conduct a burial within 24 hours.He was buried in New Jersey, more than an hour from his home in New York, because the number of dead had so overwhelmed nearby Muslim funeral homes and cemeteries that his family was forced to go farther to follow tradition and conduct a burial within 24 hours.
When his family drove to the Marlboro Muslim Memorial Cemetery two weeks later to visit his grave during the holy month, they were shocked by what they found: a vast field of freshly dug graves, the dead all in their 50s and 60s, and many bearing distinctly Bengali names.When his family drove to the Marlboro Muslim Memorial Cemetery two weeks later to visit his grave during the holy month, they were shocked by what they found: a vast field of freshly dug graves, the dead all in their 50s and 60s, and many bearing distinctly Bengali names.
“I never imagined Ramadan to be like this,” said Sayyid Choudhury, 31, Mr. Mamun’s son-in-law. “Ramadan is very much about family — breaking the fast with your family and then going to the mosque every night to read one of the prayers, but this Ramadan feels mostly empty and void and lonely.”“I never imagined Ramadan to be like this,” said Sayyid Choudhury, 31, Mr. Mamun’s son-in-law. “Ramadan is very much about family — breaking the fast with your family and then going to the mosque every night to read one of the prayers, but this Ramadan feels mostly empty and void and lonely.”
The coronavirus has killed more than 29,000 and sickened over 367,000 people in New York, upending daily life and unleashing economic turmoil. For Muslims, it has also transformed one of the most important holidays of the year from a joyful occasion marked by family dinners, communal prayers and busy social calendars into a somber and solitary month celebrated under the shadow of sickness, death and joblessness.The coronavirus has killed more than 29,000 and sickened over 367,000 people in New York, upending daily life and unleashing economic turmoil. For Muslims, it has also transformed one of the most important holidays of the year from a joyful occasion marked by family dinners, communal prayers and busy social calendars into a somber and solitary month celebrated under the shadow of sickness, death and joblessness.
Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, or the central tenets of the faith. The world’s 1.9 billion Muslims celebrate the holiday from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next, with daytime fasting and nighttime merrymaking that culminates in Eid al-Fitr, which this year fell on Sunday.Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, or the central tenets of the faith. The world’s 1.9 billion Muslims celebrate the holiday from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next, with daytime fasting and nighttime merrymaking that culminates in Eid al-Fitr, which this year fell on Sunday.
But with a need to maintain public health, Zoom calls and socially distant food drives have replaced family gatherings and community prayers, as Muslims have sought to make the most of a Ramadan like no other in memory.But with a need to maintain public health, Zoom calls and socially distant food drives have replaced family gatherings and community prayers, as Muslims have sought to make the most of a Ramadan like no other in memory.
“For a lot of people, it has been very tough on them mentally and emotionally,” said Abdul Aziz Bhuiyan, chairman of the Hillside Islamic Center on Long Island. “Some of the Islamic centers were able to go online to do programs, but people living in more distressed communities don’t have access to these kind of online events or social media.”“For a lot of people, it has been very tough on them mentally and emotionally,” said Abdul Aziz Bhuiyan, chairman of the Hillside Islamic Center on Long Island. “Some of the Islamic centers were able to go online to do programs, but people living in more distressed communities don’t have access to these kind of online events or social media.”
The weight of the pandemic has fallen disproportionately on immigrant and minority populations with high poverty levels and a lack of access to regular health care. Muslim leaders say the Bangladeshi community in New York, one of the city’s fastest growing immigrant groups, has been particularly devastated by the virus and the economic damage it has caused.The weight of the pandemic has fallen disproportionately on immigrant and minority populations with high poverty levels and a lack of access to regular health care. Muslim leaders say the Bangladeshi community in New York, one of the city’s fastest growing immigrant groups, has been particularly devastated by the virus and the economic damage it has caused.
“We know the Muslim community has been hit hard by the virus, especially the Bengali community,” said Raja Abdulhaq, executive director of the Islamic Leadership Council of New York, an umbrella group of more than 90 mosques and Muslim organizations.“We know the Muslim community has been hit hard by the virus, especially the Bengali community,” said Raja Abdulhaq, executive director of the Islamic Leadership Council of New York, an umbrella group of more than 90 mosques and Muslim organizations.
Data released by the city has shown the hardest hit neighborhoods in New York are also those most popular among Bangladeshi immigrants, including neighborhoods in Queens like Jamaica, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights.Data released by the city has shown the hardest hit neighborhoods in New York are also those most popular among Bangladeshi immigrants, including neighborhoods in Queens like Jamaica, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights.
At the end of April, Muslim funeral homes were burying “on average about 100 people a day and about 70 percent of them were Bengalis, either from Bangladesh or of Bengali origin,” Mr. Abdulhaq said.At the end of April, Muslim funeral homes were burying “on average about 100 people a day and about 70 percent of them were Bengalis, either from Bangladesh or of Bengali origin,” Mr. Abdulhaq said.
Many Bangladeshi immigrants have public-facing low-wage jobs and then return to small apartments where they live with large families or several room mates, which had left many “very exposed” to the virus, he said.Many Bangladeshi immigrants have public-facing low-wage jobs and then return to small apartments where they live with large families or several room mates, which had left many “very exposed” to the virus, he said.
“A lot of them work as taxi drivers so they see a lot of people,” Mr. Abdulhaq said. “And a lot of them work in restaurants or do jobs in that industry, like food carts.”“A lot of them work as taxi drivers so they see a lot of people,” Mr. Abdulhaq said. “And a lot of them work in restaurants or do jobs in that industry, like food carts.”
Reevu Islam, 27, said three of his uncles had fallen ill with Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Two of them work in warehouses and the other is a New York City police officer.Reevu Islam, 27, said three of his uncles had fallen ill with Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Two of them work in warehouses and the other is a New York City police officer.
All three recovered, but Mr. Islam said more than 50 Bangladeshi-Americans in his social network, including distant relatives and friends of friends, had died in recent weeks.All three recovered, but Mr. Islam said more than 50 Bangladeshi-Americans in his social network, including distant relatives and friends of friends, had died in recent weeks.
“March and April were definitely, definitely the most intense time of our lives,” he said. “We went through a few days where every day I was hearing about two or three people who passed away.”“March and April were definitely, definitely the most intense time of our lives,” he said. “We went through a few days where every day I was hearing about two or three people who passed away.”
The economic impact of the virus, which has led to more than 38 million people seeking unemployment claims across the country, has battered New York’s Muslim community, resulting in widespread joblessness and casting mosque finances into an uncertain future.The economic impact of the virus, which has led to more than 38 million people seeking unemployment claims across the country, has battered New York’s Muslim community, resulting in widespread joblessness and casting mosque finances into an uncertain future.
The donations collected during Ramadan help finance as much as 80 percent of the annual budget of many mosques and community centers, Mr. Bhuiyan said. But few of them had online donation systems set up when the pandemic hit.The donations collected during Ramadan help finance as much as 80 percent of the annual budget of many mosques and community centers, Mr. Bhuiyan said. But few of them had online donation systems set up when the pandemic hit.
Updated August 6, 2020 Updated August 12, 2020
Mosques were playing catch up now, he said, but trouble still looms.Mosques were playing catch up now, he said, but trouble still looms.
“The centers are suffering because people are not coming in so they are not collecting funds, and we’ll see the impact of that within a month or two,” he said. “A lot of centers may have to lay off people; maybe some of the small ones will have to close.”“The centers are suffering because people are not coming in so they are not collecting funds, and we’ll see the impact of that within a month or two,” he said. “A lot of centers may have to lay off people; maybe some of the small ones will have to close.”
Mosques across the city have also traditionally provided meals on-site for the poor, but stay-at-home orders have made that impossible, so other organizations have stepped up to help.Mosques across the city have also traditionally provided meals on-site for the poor, but stay-at-home orders have made that impossible, so other organizations have stepped up to help.
Diya Basu-Sen, the executive director of Sapna NYC, a nonprofit that works with women who are immigrants from South Asia, said her organization had been checking in with 200 women, mostly Bangladeshi, who regularly use its services. More than 95 percent said that every person in their household who had been working was now out of a job, she said.Diya Basu-Sen, the executive director of Sapna NYC, a nonprofit that works with women who are immigrants from South Asia, said her organization had been checking in with 200 women, mostly Bangladeshi, who regularly use its services. More than 95 percent said that every person in their household who had been working was now out of a job, she said.
Her group organized a food drive to distribute halal chicken last week and more than 150 families signed up within 24 hours, Ms. Basu-Sen said.Her group organized a food drive to distribute halal chicken last week and more than 150 families signed up within 24 hours, Ms. Basu-Sen said.
“What we’ve been hearing a lot of is food insecurity,” she said.“What we’ve been hearing a lot of is food insecurity,” she said.
Zohran Mamdani, a housing activist who is running for a State Assembly seat in Queens, has also organized a food distribution program in Astoria, a thriving Muslim neighborhood that has been squeezed by gentrification in recent years.Zohran Mamdani, a housing activist who is running for a State Assembly seat in Queens, has also organized a food distribution program in Astoria, a thriving Muslim neighborhood that has been squeezed by gentrification in recent years.
Mr. Mamdani said he had raised more than $50,000, which was used to buy food from local businesses. The campaign had distributed more than 12,000 meals since Ramadan began, as well as 700 bags of groceries to 150 needy families, he said.Mr. Mamdani said he had raised more than $50,000, which was used to buy food from local businesses. The campaign had distributed more than 12,000 meals since Ramadan began, as well as 700 bags of groceries to 150 needy families, he said.
“You cannot extricate Ramadan from the concept of solidarity and the idea and the practice of community,” Mr. Mamdani said. “People who rely on iftar at the mosques throughout Ramadan are still here in our communities and are in need of that same food so we have to find a way to get it to them.”“You cannot extricate Ramadan from the concept of solidarity and the idea and the practice of community,” Mr. Mamdani said. “People who rely on iftar at the mosques throughout Ramadan are still here in our communities and are in need of that same food so we have to find a way to get it to them.”
For Mr. Islam, that sense of community is what he misses most.For Mr. Islam, that sense of community is what he misses most.
“It doesn’t feel like Ramadan,” he said.“It doesn’t feel like Ramadan,” he said.
Mr. Islam has not seen his family during the holy month because he has been isolating at his apartment in Sunnyside, Queens. His family is in Queens Village, he said.Mr. Islam has not seen his family during the holy month because he has been isolating at his apartment in Sunnyside, Queens. His family is in Queens Village, he said.
The days when they would all gather to break the fast with elaborate Bengali dishes or worship together at Jamaica Muslim Center seem far away, he said.The days when they would all gather to break the fast with elaborate Bengali dishes or worship together at Jamaica Muslim Center seem far away, he said.
“I wish we could have a do over for this Ramadan,” he said. “I am definitely looking forward to next year.”“I wish we could have a do over for this Ramadan,” he said. “I am definitely looking forward to next year.”