How Muslims Feel About Ramadan 2020: A Report

Ramadan approaches this year under circumstances the like of which most Muslims have not witnessed before, as the believers find themselves isolated in their homes and cut off from the congregational life of the masjid on account of the global pandemic. In order to understand how the ummah is preparing to receive this blessed month, a survey was conducted and completed by 450 Muslims from across the world, diverse in ethnicity, education, and age. Among the respondents, most reported praying the five daily prayers (77%), and a majority (55%) described their relationship with Allah as intimate. The aim was to measure the attitudes and behavioral intentions of Muslims for this Ramadan in comparison with previous years, and to offer guidance drawn from what was found.

Islam encourages the believer to hold fast to optimism even in times of hardship and uncertainty. The Prophet ﷺ expressed his fondness for hope and good words when he said, “I am amazed by optimism, the good word, the kind word.” The findings reflected that Muslims worldwide have taken this teaching to heart, for they were generally optimistic about this Ramadan despite the difficult global situation. Although many would not have access to the masjid, nearly two out of three believed that this Ramadan would be better than the last. Since Ramadan is the month of the Qur’an, much of this optimism was tied to the expectation of having more time to engage with the Book of Allah, and more than eighty percent expected to read more Qur’an than they had the previous year. This sentiment was captured in the words of respondents who saw in their seclusion an opportunity to focus solely upon their relationship with Allah, to reflect upon their inward state, and to become better Muslims than they had been before.

Generosity, too, is a hallmark of this month, for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the most generous of people, and he was most generous of all in Ramadan, when Jibreel would meet him to teach him the Qur’an, so that he was more generous than a nourishing wind. In keeping with this spirit, the respondents held that charity in uncertain times can only bring good, with eighty-one percent strongly agreeing and fifteen percent somewhat agreeing to this, even amid the financial strain brought on by the economic downturn related to COVID-19. Their intentions reflected this conviction, as fifty-seven percent intended to give more to relief organizations, thirty-five percent more to educational organizations, and thirty-nine percent more to the masjid than they had in the previous Ramadan.

An examination of what predicted this optimism, defined as answering that Ramadan would be “somewhat better” or “much better” than the year before, revealed that those who read the Qur’an regularly, those who considered their relationship with Allah intimate, and those who perceived many blessings since the spread of COVID-19 were more optimistic. On the other hand, those who felt that they needed a community in order to thrive during Ramadan were generally less optimistic. Upon these findings several recommendations were built.

The first counsel is to reflect upon the Qur’an regularly, for those who read it consistently were found to be more optimistic and to perceive more blessings in their lives. Allah says, “We have not revealed the Qur’an to cause you distress,” and He describes His Book as that which He “sent down to you to clarify all things and as guidance, mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims.” The Qur’an is meant to be a source of peace and comfort for the believer in this life and the next, and one is encouraged to find solace in it by reading and reflecting upon passages of personal interest, such as pondering the wisdom of Allah in the trials of Yūsuf عليه السلام in Sūrat Yūsuf, or empathizing with Mūsá عليه السلام as he fled his homeland in Sūrat al-Qaşaş, immersing oneself in the stories, metaphors, and parables of the Book.

The second counsel is to hold an intimate conversation with Allah, for those who considered their relationship with Him close expressed greater optimism and greater intended generosity. Allah says, “And when My servants ask you concerning Me, indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me.” Though we are cut off from people, we are never cut off from Allah, who says in the sacred narration, “I am as My servant thinks I am. I am with him when he mentions Me… And if he draws near to Me an arm’s length, I draw near to him a fathom’s length. And if he comes to Me walking, I go running to him.” The believer is therefore encouraged to set aside moments each day, such as after Fajr or before Maghrib, to speak to his Lord, whose door is always open.

The third counsel is to practice gratitude through journaling and letter writing, for those who perceived many blessings were more optimistic and more inclined to generosity. Allah proclaims, “If you are grateful, I will surely increase you in favor.” One is encouraged to record five blessings each day, whether great or small, and to write a letter of thanks to someone deeply appreciated but never properly thanked, in keeping with the words of the Prophet ﷺ, “Whoever does not thank people has not thanked Allah.”

The fourth counsel addresses those who felt they needed community to thrive, who were found to be less optimistic. Social connection is a basic human need and has always been part of Ramadan, and though being apart from the masjid, family, and friends will be difficult this year, a sense of community may still be nurtured through regular video gatherings, whether reading Qur’an together, hosting a virtual ifṭār, or attending a tafsīr lecture. Though separated in physical distance, the believers remain united in heart, and one should remind himself as he stands alone in prayer at home that millions the world over are at that very moment turning their faces toward Makkah in worship.