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A quieter Idul Fitri in isolation
Business as usual: An aerial photograph shows people attending Idul Fitri prayers, marking the end of Ramadan at Baiturrahman Mosque in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, on Sunday
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usiness as usual: An aerial photograph shows people attending Idul Fitri prayers, marking the end of Ramadan at Baiturrahman Mosque in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, on Sunday. (AFP/Adi Gondronk)
Many Indonesian Muslims celebrated this year’s Idul Fitri under a very different vibe from previous years because of the COVID-19 epidemic over the last two months.
While some Muslims in safe “green zones” like Tegal, Central Java, were still able to attend the congregational Idul Fitri prayer on the first morning of the holiday, those in “red zones” like Jakarta and East Java worshiped at home.
Most Muslims were also unable to hold the traditional family reunion during Idul Fitri because of the social restrictions and the mudik (exodus) travel ban imposed to prevent the further spread of the disease. So this year, they held virtual reunions using video communication apps on their smartphones or through video conferences on their computers.
It has been a rough couple of months for all Indonesians, and it can only be hoped that all holidaymakers – not just Muslims – adhered to the emergency health measures to prevent the emergence of new infection clusters after Idul Fitri.
