French Muslim Council Announces Ramadan 2020 to Begin April 24 Amid COVID-19 Concerns

According to the CFCM, this date is retained because the new moon of the month of Ramadan will be visible over a large part of the African continent and the American continent during this period. According to the same source, the month of Sha’ban began in some countries on March 25, 2020 and for the majority of Muslims, on March 26, 2020.

The CFCM also fears the extension of the confinement in France until the beginning of June 2020. For the Council, the ban on any physical gathering of people as well as the closure of places of worship throughout this confinement period will result in the suspension of many Ramadan activities, at least in their usual forms. Accordingly, it has invited each Muslim to scrupulously respect the measures imposed by the authorities and to perform the daily prayers at their homes, in accordance with the principles and values of the religion in this epidemic context.

Regarding the practice of fasting, the Council believes that it "depends intrinsically and individually on each person where he is." "This practice is therefore not directly affected by the current context: those who meet the conditions of fasting and are able to observe it, will observe it as usual," it specified. It also invited those who have a recognized exemption to seek advice from their attending physician and follow the opinion of a competent religious authority.

Regarding the Tarawih prayer, the Council argues that in view of the opinion of Cheikh Khalil, a notable reference of the Maliki school in his collection, "it is possible for each and every one to perform the Tarawih prayer at home, in complete safety and serenity".

The Council also stressed the importance of respecting confinement. It promises to make available all the necessary means so that its official website is a virtual place of spiritual renewal and elevation. It "also calls on all the vital forces of our community to contribute to it through oral or written interventions, Quranic recitations, invocations, ..., and anything that can constitute an alternative to physical meeting".

As for the time of the breaking of the fast meal, it announced the development of many alternative ideas so that the spirit of sharing of this blessed month persists, despite the difficulties. "Meal distributions that comply with the restrictions in force may be the subject of consultation with local authorities and call on mutual aid between the various associative actors," it concluded.