Imam Urges French Muslims to Follow COVID Rules During Ramadan

The religious leader was the guest of Europe 1 on Tuesday morning. He strongly advises against gathering beyond the household or between neighbors at the time of "iftar", the daily meal to break the fast. He indicated that due to the curfew and the closure of places of worship at 7 p.m., there will also be no night prayers in the mosques. "I call on Muslims here to respect the health rules," proclaims the imam of the Bordeaux mosque.

During Ramadan, every good Muslim is called to abstain from drinking, eating, smoking and having sexual relations, from dawn until sunset. For the Imam of Bordeaux, "the spirit of fasting is not affected by the pandemic. We can fully fast in accordance with the teachings of Islam, while respecting the health rules that apply to everyone."

Before the coronavirus pandemic, each breaking of the fast is a celebration, a communion with family, between neighbors. But today, such a display of conviviality would be a bad idea, recalls Tareq Oubrou, who adds that "the fasting of the month of Ramadan must not be an excuse to exempt oneself from the rules that apply to all citizens. Regarding the night prayer, he indicates that "it is not an obligation but an optional practice that cannot be accomplished this year in the mosque, since there is a curfew."