Ramadan rituals in Jordan… Empty streets and absent family gatherings

Extreme caution and fear of the spread of the Corona virus overwhelmed Jordanians’ rituals during the holy month of Ramadan, in conjunction with the country recording high rates of infections and deaths from the virus, which placed it ranked seventh in the world on the list of countries with the highest spread of the virus, according to the “Our World in Data” website (Our Worldin Data).

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Despite the decisions of the Jordanian Council of Ministers – on the eve of the advent of the holy month – to authorize the performance of Fajr and Maghreb prayers on foot in mosques, they did not please the citizens. The fact that the daily curfew times – which have been approved by the Jordanian government – have not changed, and that the curfew begins at 7 p.m. along with the sunset call to prayer and ends at six in the morning, and that decision continues until mid-May.

The wishes of many people to perform Tarawih prayers in mosques and to receive loved ones at breakfast tables, including Ms. Amira Jaafar (55), who confirms her understanding of the causes of the ban, but she hoped to help worshipers to perform the evening prayers, then Tarawih, in case infection rates decrease and citizens follow procedures Social distancing, which Jordan actually recorded in the days leading up to the advent of the holy month, the number of injuries decreased by 14.2. % to 12.1%, as the number of daily exams reached 42,000, which Al Jazeera Net monitored.

Amira says that “back when worshipers were allowed to pray in mosques, everyone pledged to an act, which the public security forces oversaw and praised”.

Study decision

And the Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, Dr Muhammad Al-Khalayleh, had confirmed – in previous press releases – that there had been no decision on opening mosques to people. during the holy month of Ramadan to perform the Tarawih and Friday Prayers, noting that all decisions are constantly studied.

He added: “Every decision is subject to study in the event that there are changes in the epidemiological curve indicating a decrease in the rate of infections and controlling the spread of the virus, so the goal is not to close the mosques. , but to preserve the health of citizens, and endowments adhere to binding decisions of official authorities, and the epidemiological situation has allowed people to make the dawn prayers. “Morocco is on foot (in mosques) on foot”.

Uterus not connected

Amira suggests reducing the daily blackout hours, so that members of the same family can meet on the days of the holy month, and increases: “We realize the severity of the virus and are taking precautions, but there are a lot of families that are like my family, because all my children are married, and the current ruling prevents me from seeing them and meeting my grandchildren, especially The timing of the ban coincides with the call to bedtime prayer. sun, so why should we focus on distancing measures and at the same time reduce the period of the night ban to start after Tarawih prayers?

But the Minister of State for Media, official spokesperson for the Jordanian government, Sakher Dudin, has said – more than once in strong statements – that the general epidemiological situation is what determines the procedures followed during the holy month, linking the reduction in the time and daily quarantine hours, with the decrease in the percentage of positive exams.

Dudin saw the Council of Ministers as a mirror of the ideas that spin in the minds of citizens, pointing out that the one hour extension during the month of Ramadan indicates an implicit meaning that citizens visit for breakfast during the holy month, adding that “The government does not want Ramadan to become a month for the redistribution of a new wave of the virus. “We have allowed Fajr and Maghreb prayers to be done on foot in mosques, but there is still no proposal to reconsider the authorization of Tarawih and Friday prayers.

Punishment and consequences

In turn, the psychology counselor, Munira Saleh, finds the disconnection of kinship ties and visits between people during the holy month a severe psychological and social punishment, explaining that by saying, “We appreciate the role that the Jordanian government is looking to play. reduce the severity of the spread of the Corona virus among people, but on the other hand, there are societal consequences that will be obvious to everyone in the past. “If the daily ban continues as it is, the most important of these are the needy who wait for the days of the blessed month to lead the tables of Ramadan, for the stone will prevent them from having a breakfast worthy of a person on an empty stomach.

And she continued: “We know that Ramadan is an opportunity to relate to the justice of parents, and also to draw closer to God by setting up Ramadan tables and family invitations to break the fast and accomplish acts of worship. The continuation of the ban will directly affect social and family relationships, especially due to the inability to meet at one table, and the sense of distress will be. “Double, especially with the daily losses from corona deaths.”

During a tour of some areas of the Jordanian capital, Al-Jazeera Net monitored the streets of Amman empty of pedestrians, especially on Friday, the day of the complete ban, as buildings are sad and empty. , as people are forced to stand in separate queues to purchase their necessities during the days of the partial ban, before returning home before The daily traffic jams that have become commonplace on the streets of the capital , as the curfew approaches.