Muslims Celebrate a Dull Eid al-Fitr amid Virus Lockdown

Shiite Iraqis will mark the start of Eid al-Fitr on Monday, while their Sunni compatriots will begin celebrations on Sunday. AFP
Shiite Iraqis will mark the start of Eid al-Fitr on Monday, while their Sunni compatriots will begin celebrations on Sunday. AFP
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Muslims Celebrate a Dull Eid al-Fitr amid Virus Lockdown

Shiite Iraqis will mark the start of Eid al-Fitr on Monday, while their Sunni compatriots will begin celebrations on Sunday. AFP
Shiite Iraqis will mark the start of Eid al-Fitr on Monday, while their Sunni compatriots will begin celebrations on Sunday. AFP

Muslims around the world began marking a somber Eid al-Fitr Sunday with many of them under coronavirus lockdown.

This festival is different this year. Celebration is concealed by the fast-spreading COVID-19 pandemic, with many countries tightening lockdown restrictions after a partial easing during Ramadan led to a sharp spike in infections.

Usually, this holiday is considered one of the most important in the Muslim calendar marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It is traditionally celebrated with mosque prayers, family feasts and shopping for new clothes, gifts and sweet treats.

Further dampening the festive spirit, multiple countries -- from Egypt, Turkey and Syria -- have banned mass prayer gatherings, a festival highlight, to limit the spread of the disease.

Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque, Islam's third holiest site, will reopen to worshippers only after Eid, its governing body said, AFP reported.

In Lebanon, the highest Sunni religious authority has announced the reopening of mosques only for Friday prayers. Worshippers, however, will be subject to temperature checks and sanitary controls before they enter.

Meanwhile, more than 3,500 Tunisians who traveled home just ahead of the holiday will have to spend it away from their families, forced to quarantine for two weeks in hotels after arriving from abroad.

Also in Iran, which has experienced the Middle East's deadliest outbreak, has called on its citizens to avoid travel during Eid as it battles to control infection rates.

Iran shut schools and places of worship and banned inter-city travel for the Persian New Year holidays in March, but the restrictions were recently eased.

Health Minister Saeed Namaki said that the country was focusing hard on avoiding "new peaks of the disease" caused by people "not respecting health regulations".

In the Syrian capital Damascus, Eid shoppers rummaged through flea markets for clothes at bargain prices as the war-ravaged and sanctions-hit country grapples with a much more entrenched economic crisis.

"The flea market is the only place I can buy something new to wear for the Eid holidays," 28-year-old Sham Alloush told AFP.

"Had it not been for this place, I wouldn't have been able to buy new clothes at all."

But promising some laughs in these dire times, 40 Muslim comedians from across the world will host a virtual show on Sunday called "The Socially Distant Eid Comedy Night".

"This Ramadan has been particularly difficult for communities around the world," said Muddassar Ahmed, head of the Concordia Forum, the organizer of the event.



28 Saudi Chefs Serve Pilgrims Meals with Local Flavor

Many pilgrims praise Saudi hospitality and warm welcome upon arrival - Asharq Al-Awsat
Many pilgrims praise Saudi hospitality and warm welcome upon arrival - Asharq Al-Awsat
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28 Saudi Chefs Serve Pilgrims Meals with Local Flavor

Many pilgrims praise Saudi hospitality and warm welcome upon arrival - Asharq Al-Awsat
Many pilgrims praise Saudi hospitality and warm welcome upon arrival - Asharq Al-Awsat

This year’s Hajj season was anything but ordinary for a group of 28 young Saudi chefs, whose childhood dreams and culinary talents found purpose in one of the holiest settings on earth.

Tasked with preparing meals for pilgrims in the sacred sites, these men and women brought a distinctly Saudi flavor to the Hajj experience, blending tradition with heartfelt service.

In the sprawling tents of Mina and Arafat, the aroma of food carried more than just spices - it told stories of ambition, culture, and devotion. What began as a passion for cooking has, for these chefs, become a noble calling: nourishing the faithful during their spiritual journey.

Launched by the Arab Pilgrims’ Services Foundation “Eshraqat”, the “Hajj Chef” initiative is offering young Saudi culinary talents the rare chance to prepare and serve meals for pilgrims during the annual Hajj pilgrimage - an experience that blends professionalism with national identity while raising the bar for mass catering under strict food safety and quality standards.

Among the 28 chefs selected is 24-year-old Shoaib Al-Attas, who beams with pride as he recalls how his culinary journey began.

“It started with me watching my mother cook,” he said.

“That daily scene turned into a passion, then a skill, then a dream I longed to fulfill. This initiative gave me the chance to do what I love.”

Shoaib was chosen from over 200 applicants to be part of the elite team entrusted with feeding pilgrims.

“When a pilgrim tastes my food and smiles in gratitude, I feel like I’ve done something truly meaningful.”

For Amal Rajeh, the sight of pilgrims performing Hajj once stirred a simple wish: to serve them, even if just with a cup of water. That longing has now turned into a life-changing opportunity.

Amal claimed first place in the Hajj Chef selection competition, becoming part of a pioneering initiative that fulfilled more than her passion - it sharpened her skills and opened unexpected career doors.

“I used to dream of being among them, serving in any way I could,” she said. “Now I’m part of something far greater. This project doesn’t just let you cook - it places you at the heart of the most honorable service there is: serving the guests of God.”

The “Hajj Chef” program, launched by the Eshraqat Foundation for Arab Pilgrims, attracted hundreds of applicants in its first year.

Only the top 28 chefs - both men and women - were selected, according to Lina Khosheim, deputy head of the initiative’s organizing committee.

“Participants underwent intensive training led by top Arab chefs,” Khosheim said. “The goal was to deliver meals that reflect authentic Saudi hospitality while meeting the nutritional needs of pilgrims.”

She added that the initiative goes beyond food preparation. It aims to equip young Saudis with the skills to enter the niche but vital field of “mass catering” - a sector still in its infancy, but brimming with potential for talented youth.