In 10 years, this might be remembered as the best Ramadan ever. Here’s why
"In the previous years, everything goes by so quickly and by the time you know it, Ramadan is finished," says Shereena, a 21-year-old fashion and textiles student.Even though the coronavirus shutdown has left Shereena and her two sisters without jobs, they say they've never felt more positive about "reconnecting with our family, with our creator and renewing our intentions".
In addition to the family Koran reading sessions, the Kais have also connected online to the Indonesian Islamic community Iqro, where they watch religious lectures online "to make sure we're gaining that knowledge, socialising and seeing how everyone is doing."For Western Sydney-based teacher, food blogger and mother-of-three Walla Abu-Eid, Ramadan is usually a hectic time spent juggling life commitments and cooking up a feast for her extended family.But making "extravagant buffets" is not on her to-do list this year; instead she'll be preparing a much smaller family dinner for just five — and appreciating the slower pace. "We're staying up late to get our acts of worship in, we're waking up at our own pace, we're not rushing," she says. "And there is plenty of time to get dinner on the table." Some Muslim families, however, are unable to access the ingredients to make iftar as special as it should be.Not-for-profit organisation AusRelief has been creating essential care packs containing food, cleaning and personal hygiene products for elderly and at-risk people in the community with the help of volunteers. The initiative was launched when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, but efforts have ramped up for Ramadan, with the organisation preparing to deliver over 5,000 packs. Director Danny Mikati says families have been "stopping by the warehouse to contribute to someone else's improvement." This includes children, who have been writing personal notes of support to include in the packs."Usually you donate online; it's quick, send, bang, and you hope it gets to where it needs to," Mikati says. "But for the Muslim volunteers especially, they know that during this time, their contribution is a form of worship." As Muslims continue to fast and feast for the remainder of the month with homes for mosques and additional time to pray and provide, it has come a surprise that this Ramadan is shaping out to be the most special one yet. Says Emilee: "I feel like in 10 years people will think about it and say, 'We've never had a great Ramadan the way we did when COVID was happening'."
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