Eid ul Fitr 2021: Clerics Urge People To Celebrate Eid At Home Amid Covid

Eid ul Fitr is being celebrated amid the horrific coronavirus pandemic for the second consecutive year. Muslim clerics across the country have urged people to celebrate Eid at home. At Jalna in Maharashtra, there will be no large congregrations for prayers and social get-togethers on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr due to the surge in Covid cases. Clerics requested all community members to celebrate the festival at home in a simple manner.

''Amid distress, fear and worry, we have to celebrate the Eid at home this year," Maulana Sohel, president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Arshad Mandi faction), Marathwada unit, told news agency Press Trust of India. The coordinator of Jalna's Holy Quran Centre, Abdul Hafiz, said that meetings and gatherings during this year's Eid are a distant dream considering the prevailing coronavirus situation. He encouraged people to connect with each other virtually.

The Maharashtra government has already put guidelines in place. People have been advised to celebrate Eid ul Fitr in a safe and simple way. Processions, gatherings for prayers are not allowed.

The Shahi Imam of Delhi's Fatehpuri Mosque, Dr Mufti Mohd Mukarram Ahmed also urged Muslims to offer Eid prayers at home and stay safe. According to the Shahi Imam, Eid ul-Fitr will be celebrated on May 13-14 depending the sighting of the Eid moon.

Masjid committees in Assam have decided not to have mass prayers on Eid ul Fitr and asked people to celebrate at home. 

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also urged people to celebrate Eid at home. In view of the Ramzan, the Kerala government has permitted meat shops to function up to 10 pm on Wednesday for home delivery, according to news agency Press Trust of India. Last week, the Mr Vijayan had announced a state-wide lockdown, till May 16, to tackle the second wave of the Covid-19.