A MUSLIM leader from Worcester has described what it is like for his community living under lockdown during Ramadan.

The holy month, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, began for many Worcester Muslims on Friday (and for some on Saturday).

However, with mosques closed, prayers and other traditions have been disrupted by the need to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

It is a month when Muslims fast from dawn till dusk, refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual acts. More time is devoted to prayer, self-reflection, spending quality time with friends and family and charitable acts, community work, communal iftars (breaking the fast) and communal evening prayers (taraweeh).

Mohammed Iqbal, general secretary of the Worcester Muslim Welfare Association at Central Mosque, Tallow Hill, said: “This year due to coronavirus, Ramadan will be much different, the lockdown and social distancing has changed the way we will experience Ramadan for the first time.

“We will not be visiting families, our friends, the way we give to charity will also change, our mosques will be closed for communal prays, our Iftars will be spent alone.

“The lack of social interaction will have an impact on the mental health of many confined in this lockdown. However, the community is strong and is quickly adapting to this new way of living, playing a vital community role to curb the further spread of Covid-19.”

WMWA has also adapted to new ways of working with the community, adopting social media to convey messages and live stream sermons. He added: “There are many in the community who work on the frontline, nurses, doctors, health workers and other key workers, as a community we respect and appreciate the hard work being done and risks taken to save ours whilst risking their own. The cases within our own community have been very low, everyone is heeding the advice and listening to our key workers."

"WMWA members have also been busy with community work through many initiatives either helping serve food to the nurses, donating PPE to carers, helping, and listening to the needy. We are also launching a Ramadan food bank drive to support people in Worcester in need of help caused by lockdown hardship. This initiative will be up and running in the next few days.”