Tag Archives: #LibDemIftar

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Once again, I find myself wondering where the days and weeks have gone as we approach the end of Ramadan!

The end of Ramadan brings the day of Eid, usually a day of joyous celebrations, congregating at the mosque and each other’s homes. In their excitement, my children have been busy putting their artistic skills to good use in creating decorations for the big day! A slight ease in lockdown means perhaps seeing my mum at her doorstep from a distance, but beyond that there will be no congregations or visitations this year. Instead, we are doing our best to create a festive atmosphere at home, with decorations, plans to wear traditional clothes and make traditional food, and of course plenty of Skype and Zoom calls with loved ones!

I won’t lie,  Ramadan under lockdown was tough. The communal prayers and breaking of fast are such an integral part of the month, not having them has been a disorienting experience. But there have been some major positives; I have had extra time with the children and a rare opportunity to reflect on my priorities in life.

One of the stand out moments in Ramadan for me was the #LibDemIftar. It was a great zoom event with members both of a faith or none. Muslim members shared their experiences of Ramadan and the impact of Covid-19 on the Muslim community.

There were plenty of poignant points; The fact that the first 4 BAME doctors who died of the virus were Muslim, how disproportionately ethnic minorities have lost their lives and why more research needs to be done. Some colleagues learnt how work places could be more accommodating to Muslims who were fasting, which is particularly important in the current climate since a high number of workers at the front-lines of the response to Covid-19 are Muslims, and would have been fasting throughout the month.

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Today is the the first day of Ramadan. And because of COVID-19, it’s different this year for Muslims. No family or friends to join the experience so this year it will be virtual. The meal at the end of day, the Iftar, can be shared on Zoom!

Thank you to all those who are joining MPs and others for the very first #LibDemIftar.

Despite it being tough to fast, some members have agreed to have a go and show solidarity with me and other Muslims. Muslims in the country and around the world will be abstaining from food and drink, for a month everyday, from sunset to sunrise. This year will be more challenging for Muslims across the country, like many other faiths, they will be staying at home and abstaining from sharing traditional activities with friends and family.

As a Muslim myself, I have seen many of my brothers and sisters from Christian, Jewish, Tamil and other faith and minority groups celebrate their special festivals on Zoom, through WhatsApp and FaceTime. This has been like no other time in our history. But the strength we can build from this can be mutual understanding. Even during a period when we are being told to stay home, we can still come together and support each other.