Top is it! As announced by the President of the Muslim Union of Togo (UMT) last Thursday; The fasting of Ramadan officially began this Friday, March 24th throughout the territory. And while this practice is generally not easy to observe, it is even less so this year with the prevailing health crisis. They are speaking out on the issue.
For Muslims here and elsewhere, this year's fasting or Lent is exceptional. From the ban on gatherings at the mosque to soaring food prices, this year's Muslim Lent is difficult at all levels. However, courage and resilience must prevail, "the coronavirus pandemic should not be a reason not to observe the young person," said UMT President El-Hadj Inoussa Bouraïma. This, many have clearly understood.
This is the case of Moustapha, a trader at the big market that we have accosted. For the latter, it is not all a matter of faith. Faith helped him overcome this difficult ordeal.
"This year Lent is special but when you have faith you always see the best in every situation which allows us to stay positive. »
The health crisis has not only made the usual activities and celebrations that accompany this month impossible, but also removed "sharing", the very essence of this tradition. "It's a month of sharing and blessing. Many donations take place in mosques, something that would not be possible this year at the risk of contamination and it is the poorest who suffer," he explained before calling on the State: "The Togolese state must remedy this by sharing all over the whole of the territory; or disinfect mosques and allow mosque gatherings at least twice a week for the usual donors to donate to the needy."
Fridaus, a Muslim woman we discussed, does not find such a big difference between this year's fast and that of previous years. "This year's fast is going pretty well for me. There is not such a big difference, apart from the ban on gathering at the mosque. However I just regret the rise in food prices, which is common when we enter this month. However, we would have liked that for this year exceptionally, in view of the pandemic, we would seriously review the price of essential foodstuffs for us namely sugar, vegetable fruits, and others… »
Remember that Muslim Lent is a fast that Muslims observe a month before Eid al-Fitr which is the end of Lent. It should also be noted that the fasting of Ramadan is a divine and moral obligation for any major Muslim with his physical and mental faculties.
The fasting of the month of Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam. During this month, Muslims of the required age according to the currents of Islam should not eat, drink, smoke, or have sex from dawn to sunset.
Although experts announced control of the pandemic at the end of the semester, no cure has been officially approved by WHO. The covid-organic, a remedy found by Malagasy whose effectiveness has been proven by the Malagasy president, Andry Rajoelina, is still not unanimous.
As a reminder, according to the latest updates, Togo is 99 confirmed cases, 62 cases cured; 31 active cases and 6 deaths.
Diane Olobi