'Sadness' in Northampton's Muslim communities as Ramadan approaches with mosques shut across the world

Northampton's Muslim communities are heading into the holy month of Ramadan with a sense of "shared sadness" as the world battles the Covid-19 pandemic.

The holy month is marked with dozens of events to bring Muslim communities together - from communal prayers and meals after sundown to the Eid celebrations at the end.

But this year, Ramadan - which is set to begin on April 23 - has been tinged with sadness.

Mosques in Northampton and the world are likely to remain shut for the entire month. Evening prayers and communal meals at local mosques will not happen in line with efforts to prevent Covid-19 spreading.

"The mood in the community is not very happy," says treasurer of the Al Jamaatul Muslimin mosque in Northampton Abdul Ali.

"It's one thing to close the mosques here in Northampton and the UK. But the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina? These are two of the holiest places and have never missed Ramadan prayers in over 1,500 years. And this year they are shut.

"The feeling of this holy month has been lost. It's like Christmas time without seeing your family.

"Muslims all over the world are saddened by this. But we've got to accept it - people's health is the most important thing."

All of Northampton's mosques have closed and will not be able to hold prayers and gatherings during Ramadan.

It means many community events that mark the month will be lost. Every day, fasting is ended with a communal meal - Iftar - and along with evening prayers, during which the entire Qur'an is read over the course of Ramadan.

And in Northampton, a large gathering of the town's Muslim communities gather for prayer on the Racecourse for Eid to mark the end of the festival.

But this year, all of these have been restricted by the social distancing guidelines.

"In all the history of Islam something like this has never happened at all," says Ashraf Osmani, Imam of Northampton Central Mosque. "This is history in the making.

"We just have to bear it with patience and pray that this pandemic will come to an end and we can go back to a normal way of life."