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And it will be the first Ramadan in Spain where the Muslim community will not be meeting up at their local mosque or cultural centre, and where the mass morning prayer on the final day, Eid ul-Fitr, will not be a huge public gathering.
Firstly, if you're one of the nearly two million Muslims living in Spain, felices fiestas, and if you're one of the 3.7 million in the UK, 64,000 in the Republic of Ireland – or wherever you're based – happy holidays, Ramadan Mubarak, and we hope the lockdown will not mar the celebrations for you.
Secondly, if you are not part of the Islamic community, you'll probably have lots of questions about Ramadan in any year, but are most likely even more curious as to how it will pan out in Spain now nobody is allowed out except for essential errands.
It's harder this year to ask those questions, as no personal contact is allowed outside the home, and chatting in the street is limited to a swift wave or a couple of seconds' pleasantries; but under normal circumstances, Muslims in Spain are more than happy to talk about a culture that's very dear to them and one of their biggest faith events, and will cheerfully and patiently tell you all you wanted to know.
In fact, Madrid's largest Islamic centre of worship, known as the 'M-30 Mosque' (second picture, from Wikimedia Commons) after the city ringroad near it, opens its doors throughout Ramadan to the non-Muslim public so they can stroll in at will and find out more about the festival.
Swift introduction to Ramadan
During the ninth lunar month of the year, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual relations between sunrise and sunset and, after the latter and before the former, enjoy nightly slap-up meals with the whole family.
The fact that Ramadan is guided by the phases of the moon rather than the official calendar means its dates change every year – as Zubair from Oliva (Valencia province) told us, it goes back by 10 days annually, and the community does not usually know until the last minute when Eid ul-Fitr will be as it depends upon the moon's movements. Imagine Christmas Day coming up but without a set date for it; that's rather how the Islamic followers in Spain we spoke to describe it.
Indeed, for Muslims, Eid ul-Fitr feels a lot like Christmas Day does to non-Muslims and those from countries which were once traditionally predominantly Christian.
Moreover, the fact that, these days, a high number of those who celebrate Christmas do not identify as Christians or, despite having been baptised, confirmed, married in church, or of parents who have done at least one of these, do not otherwise observe their faith, can also be seen in the Muslim community: In Turkey, for instance, where 99% of the population identifies as 'Muslim', and in London, where 14.2% of the headcount does so, it is not at all uncommon to find people who are pretty much non-practising but who have grown up with, and enjoy, the family festivals.
Rather like those who observe Christmas, Eid ul-Fitr sees everyone don their best clothing – sometimes with new outfits bought for the occasion, especially the children – and, after mass morning prayer, the kids are given presents and the family gathers together for a huge celebratory meal with music played and general fun had.
“Basically, Eid is just a big boogie,” says Mohammed Farouq, from the UK.
It is also a time when a giant collection of money and food parcels for the poor is made – Spanish Muslims put smiles on the faces of the Red Cross, Cáritas and other charities working with victims of social hardship when they stock them up during Ramadan.
The festival month also requires Muslims to pray five times daily and to go to mosque at night and on Fridays, the Islamic holy day, but there are exceptions; for example, pregnant women, anyone with health conditions, the elderly, and children do not have to observe the fasting if it could be detrimental to them; anyone with care duties or who has to work does not have to physically attend mosque.
Observing the fasting (sawm) rite during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam – along with those of profession of faith (shahada) in One God ('Allah' is the Arabic word for 'God', and is used by Arabic-speaking Christians, too, to refer to their Divine Leader; unlike Christianity, in Islam, Mohammed – and Jesus – are considered Prophets, but are not worshipped as only God is worthy of this devotion), prayer (salat), charity, or alms (zakat) which means giving at least 2% of your monthly income to the poor, and, where possible, pilgrimage (hajj) to the Holy City of Mecca at least once in a lifetime, unless you do not have the financial means or physical health to allow you to do it.
Why does Ramadan involve fasting?
Abstinence from food, drink and other such pleasures during the hours of daylight is believed to purify the body, and also to teach followers self-discipline, restraint, patience, and how to keep going and stay strong in the face of adversity – very helpful lessons right now, during lockdown. Additionally, it is a way of putting oneself in the shoes of those who are too poor to eat when they want or need to, and to feel what they feel, even if only for a few hours a day – a lesson in empathy.
For many years now, this has been an incredibly arduous test for Muslims in the northern hemisphere – Ramadan has fallen over the long spring or summer months, when the sun comes up very early and sets very late, extending the hours during which those who observe it cannot eat.
Indeed, it can take decades before Ramadan finally happens in the winter, when the days are comfortably short. But that's all part of the lessons the holy month teaches you.
It's a family time, too. Any activity not considered 'essential' will be shelved so parents, children and other relatives can spend quality time with each other – often more time, and of greater quality, in fact, than at any other point in the year. Typically, the mothers, or adult females in the family, cook the dinner, whilst the fathers, or elder males, regale the children with stories – legends, tales, or perhaps anecdotes about their youth and about their ancestors' lives. Kids get to chat to their mums and dads before, during and after dinner, play games and generally celebrate.
Silly question. When Ramadan falls in summer, how do they observe it in, for example, Iceland?
Non-Muslims have always wanted to know that, and many would never have dared ask, for fear of looking silly. But the Islamic community is always open to questions, and if they know their answers lead to greater awareness of their culture, they don't consider them silly at all.
Iceland, and other far northern parts, have no hours of darkness in high summer. And Iceland has, unofficially, around 10,000 Muslims, although official figures say they make up fewer than 1,000, or 0.3% of the population. But that's a lot of people, in real terms, who literally can't eat for a month, surely?
“Oh, yes, they still do Ramadan in those places,” assures Asghar, from Oliva (Valencia).
Do they use Mecca time as a guide to sundown, then?
“No. Even Iceland has a sunset, although sunrise happens straight afterwards.”
It doesn't have to be dark?
“It doesn't, no. As long as you don't start eating until sunset, and stop by sunrise, it doesn't matter if it's still daylight out there. So you still get maybe an hour for your evening meal.”
Islam (and Ramadan) in Spain
Of Spain's current population of around 47 million, just over two million identify as Muslim, and general headcount growth and children being born means all communities tend to increase in size annually – the Islamic community, for example, by a typical 1.4% per year.
Around half of Spain's Muslims were born here, although, like many children of expats of all nationalities in the country, not all of them are Spanish nationals.
With Islam having been the dominant religion in Spain for over 700 years until the end of the 15th century, part of Morocco and Western Sahara having been a Spanish protectorate in the past, and with two Spanish cities – Ceuta and Melilla – sharing land borders with Morocco, a high number of those approximately 50% of Muslims who were born in Spain are in fact the grandchildren or even great-grandchildren of the original migrants. In Ceuta and Melilla, where nearly half the population of each is Muslim, most of those of Moroccan descent would have to go back dozens of generations to find ancestors who were not Spanish-born.
Such is the prevalence of Islam in Ceuta and Melilla that both declared Eid ul-Fitr a national holiday some years back and even before then, shut schools on that day, and the huge group prayer on its morning, the Musal-la, is held in public: On the Loma Margarita seafront in Ceuta and the La Legión esplanade in Melilla, often with free shuttle-buses taking families to and from.
Additionally, Spain's strong historical ties with Morocco and the disputed territory of Western Sahara, and its long Islamic history, means a national law was passed in 1994 allowing for elements of the culture to be enshrined in stone in all areas of society. As an example, school meals free from pork, ham or bacon must be available, and parents have the right to either ask schools to include Islam as a subject on the curriculum or, if this is not possible due to limited numbers, to take their children out of school for a specific period to allow them to take this type of class.
Indeed, the Spanish Constitution protects the right to religious freedom in any case, meaning Hindu children also have the right to a beef-free option in school meals, and no religious symbols are banned in the workplace, such as wearing a cross on a necklace.
Also, parents of other faiths are allowed to take their children out of school on days when projects for Easter or Christmas, for example, are taking place, such as Nativity plays – but the vast majority do not, because they say their children enjoy and learn from them and it is valuable for them to find out about faiths and cultures other than their own.
Muslims in Spain of relatively recent non-Spanish descent, or who are first-generation immigrants, are, in two-thirds of cases, Moroccan (about 750,000), with the other largest communities being Pakistani (in region of 80,000), Senegalese (around 65,000), Algerian (some 61,000), and Nigerian (nearly 40,000).
Ramadan in Spain during lockdown
Spain's Islamic community leaders have condemned fake footage of mass prayer gatherings on the streets and in mosques during the national Coronavirus quarantine, posted for inflammatory means and largely by internet users with far-right sentiments. Those which have not turned out to be from previous years have been found to have been taken in other parts of the world.
Effectively, mosques are shut, and Masal-la is not happening this year, and according to the Valencia-based Muslim group, Musulmanes en Valencia, nobody has any complaints, because they know it is for public safety reasons.
“Ramadan is being celebrated just the same as always, because it's a very important pillar of Islam, but it'll be a very unusual one,” says chairwoman of the Valencia Islamic Cultural Centre (CCIV), Charifa Ben Hassine.
Hers is one of the many Islamic culture centres in Spain – which treble up as mosques, meeting and teaching places, and as headquarters for charity and neighbourhood help actions – which have urged their users not to attend, and to stay at home.
Charifa says the Valencia centre (fifth picture, by the CCIV) is working out how to get its cash and food donations to those who most need it without putting anyone at risk – and, as it normally offers assistance and nourishment to around 250 people, these beneficiaries cannot be left without their usual alms.
She says talks have been in place about streaming nightly prayer on social media or via video-conference, but nothing has been decided as yet.
His shop sells food and provides internet access, so it is considered an 'essential service', but hours are normally reduced during Ramadan and it closes at sunset rather than at midnight. Also, the store briefly shuts for a few minutes throughout the day whilst Asghar prays on the premises – daily during Ramadan, on Fridays during the rest of the year.
“Health comes first. This year, my dad will lead the prayers at home,” says Cheima Yahi, from Carcaixent (Valencia province).
“Mosques closed on the very first day of lockdown [including Cheima's in Carcaixent] and told us all to stay at home.
“Going to mosque during Ramadan is not an obligation, but it's a ritual that practically nobody fails to follow normally.”
Cheima, a graduate in translation and interpretation whose family is Algerian, says the main difference for her this year is that the eagerly-awaited nightly gatherings of relatives and friends in each others' houses will not be able to take place.
She says culinary customs of Ramadan are always followed in Spain because the necessary ingredients can be found in supermarkets, and there has been no shortage of these or any other produce due to the lockdown.
These include Algerian dates, eaten in milk to break the daily fast when the family gets up at around 05.00 or 06.00 before sunrise; the burak, a pastry stuffed with meat and vegetables; the kalb el-louz, which translates literally to 'almond hearts', a cake made with semolina and honey.
“Supermarkets are well-stocked here,” says Cheima.
“What's a real shame, though, is that many of our friends went on holiday to their countries of origin just before lockdown, and have not been able to get back here to celebrate the festival with us.”
As for whether lockdown will change anything in future for Islam, Charifa from the Valencia centre says she believes 'normality will return' once the crisis is over.
“It's just a matter of time,” she says, optimistically.
Picture 1: The morning mass prayer, or Musal-la, on Eid ul-Fitr, the last day of Ramadan, on the seafront in Ceuta
Picture 2: Madrid's M-30 mosque (Luis García/Wikimedia Commons)
Picture 3: A family at home celebrating Ramadan (archive)
Picture 4: Young Muslim women in Spain from the ACHIME association (Chicas Musulmanas de España) on Facebook
Picture 5: Valencia Islamic Cultural Centre, or CCIV (taken by the CCIV)
Please note: All photographs shown here of multiple gatherings were taken prior to lockdown commencing in Spain on March 16, a date on which all mosques in the country closed their doors and advised their communities to stay at home.
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