For the second time since the Covid-19 struck the world, Muslims across the world celebrated Eid al Fitr within the strict pandemic protocols, and citizens and residents of Oman joined the rest of the world in sharing the joy.
People exchanged Eid greetings on phone, social media apps and such platforms with their friends and relatives and shared memories of the Eid days in the past.
“I used the Eid day to call up my friends and cousins and recalled the occasions when we used to gather together for celebrations without any restrictions,” Maryam al Hinai, a public sector employee, told the Observer.
This time, all the Eid festivities were restricted to one’s home in which only immediate family members participated. However, children who were seemingly not affected by the restrictions, had a colourful Eid with their friends and relatives.
Abiding by the strict preventive measures, residents along with citizens marked the occasion with religious piety and fervour, hoping to see a better tomorrow with no casualties from the Covid-19.
There were no group prayers allowed nor were any gathering or hugging permitted as the public was urged to limit their celebrations within their households by the Royal Oman Police (ROP).
No Eid gatherings outside or inside mosques or any other premises, and no Eid prayers inside the mosques or outside were allowed by the Supreme Committee tasked with tackling developments resulting from Covid-19.
All the other Covid-19 precautions, like wearing face masks, maintaining social distance, avoiding handshakes are in place and violators will be booked under various sections, the ROP has warned.
“In this Eid festival, the religious teachings encourage believers to distribute the eatables (the meat of a goat, sheep or camel or buffalo) among poor and the needy,” says C M Najeeb, an expatriate shipping official.
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