By: Raavi Ramadhan) *
This time Ramadhan feels different from last year’s Eid, where the mosque currently looks quiet because it is not permissible to hold prayers in the mosque in congregation. The community also needs to be proactive in preventing the spread of Covid-19 by not offering Eid prayer directly and making virtual gatherings.
The quiet of the mosque was of course caused by the government’s call for the community to continue worshiping at home during the co-19 pandemic not over.
In Saudi Arabia, the government through the ministry of Islamic affairs, dakrah and guidance of Saudi Arabia announced that tarawih prayers during the month of Ramadan will only be done at home. This was done considering the suspension of prayer in the mosque will not be lifted until the corona virus pandemic ends.
Meanwhile, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Muhammad al-sheikh, the highest religious authority in Saudi Arabia, also said that Saudi citizens were asked to perform tarawih and Eid prayer at home to prevent the spread of the corona virus.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz also explained the legal issue of carrying out id prayers at home if the co-19 pandemic still continued.
According to him, id prayers can be done at home without preaching afterwards, this is in accordance with the fatwa that has been issued by the Fatwa Committee of Saudi Arabia.
Some time ago, the Saudi Government also gave a warning about a surge of up to 200,000 cases in the next few weeks. So far the government of Saudi Arabia can do is to suspend international flights, suspend pilgrimage and close public places.
In Indonesia, the Government through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has adopted a policy to extend the emergency period of the corona virus outbreak (covid-19) until May 29, 2020. This means that this emergency condition lasts for up to 5 days after the Idul Fitri holiday.
So that there are no Eid prayers on the day of Eid whether held in the field or in the mosque.
Istiqlal Mosque said that the implementation of joint takbir and prayer on Eid al-Fitr would not be carried out if the distribution of covid-19 was still ongoing.
Determination of the emergency period is of course with careful consideration and calculation. Apart from that, we must all discipline ourselves to break the chain of distribution of co-19.
In the atmosphere of Eid, gathering to relatives or neighbors is certainly a common thing because it has become a culture for the people of Indonesia. But in a situation like this, of course the friendship especially to the older ones should have changed the format.
If in the past the meeting with friends directly, for the time being online hospitality certainly would not hurt to do. We can also communicate via video calls from each other’s residence.
In any case, friendship is indeed something important, but before the status of the pandemic ends, it is fitting for the people to follow all the efforts that have been called upon by the government.
Hospitality between complexes can of course be postponed first, if you meet avoid physical shaking, use traditional greetings to mutually apologize physically and mentally.
Discipline and staying at home and maintaining physical distance, of course, this can help overcome the spread of the covid-19 virus.
Of course, a Muslim must have a proportional and fair attitude, both in the aspects of faith, worship and mu ‘amalah.
Although Corona Virus is no more dangerous than MERS, it has a high speed of transmission or transmission. The severity of people who are positively exposed to corona is sometimes asymptomatic and has the potential to transmit it to people who come in contact with it.
Besides forcing yourself to go home, of course, it can endanger yourself and others, including family. We also do not know whether in the middle of the journey to our hometown, our bodies nudge anyone without us knowing.
Budi Setyadi as Director General of Land Transportation, the Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) said that the Ministry of Transportation with the relevant ministries and the police would convey a broad appeal to the public not to make homecoming this year. The government also appealed for hospitality to be done through electronic media such as video calls.
We are all in the midst of a disaster, covid-19 has been designated as a non-natural disaster whose effects are felt in terms of health, economy and social. Staying at home is one solution to prevent the spread of covid-19.
) * The writer is a Pakuan Bogor University Student