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Imam Muhammad Sulaiman leads a special drive-in Eid prayer at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY FRASER / Postmedia
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
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The plans for the Ottawa Mosque’s first drive-in prayer to celebrate Eid al-Fitr were finalized around 2:30
a.m. Saturday.
Hours later, hundreds of cars filled a parking lot behind the mosque on Northwestern Avenue, with car
radios tuned to a station where Imam Muhammad Sulaiman would lead the Eid prayer. Some cars were
decorated with balloons or ribbons, a way of maintaining some cheer during one of the most significant
Islamic festivals, marking the end of Ramadan and a month of fasting from dawn to sunset. Occasionally, a
head would pop out of a sunroof so that person could wave at a friend.
Beating COVID and 73 years married
Organizing the event to comply with a recent Ontario order permitting drive-in religious services while
maintaining physical distancing was a major logistical feat, and arranging the final details had to wait until
the last minute because the Council of Imams of Ottawa-Gatineau had to confirm a moon sighting to kick
off Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
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5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
A special drive-in Eid prayer was held at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY FRASER/Postmedia
The final scramble to prepare the drive-in prayer was the culmination of “the strangest Ramadan ever” for
Ottawa Muslim Association President Ahmed Ibrahim. The mosque would normally be at full capacity,
around the clock, all month. Prayer and Iftar dinners bring together a community that feels more like
family, Ibrahim said.
Instead, like everyone else, local Muslims spent the month of Ramadan at home, practising physical
distancing. They prayed with immediate family instead of at the mosque. There’s a lot to miss, but there
have also been upsides to this disruption to the norm, Ibrahim said. Parents were encouraged to connect
more their children, read the Quran and practise the rituals of Ramadan together.
“People spent more time with their families, spent more times with their kids, there were tons of
connections,” Ibrahim said. “Hopefully, that will enrich the family.”
One prayer attendee, Khadra Gulaid, said her young daughter was able to complete her Ramadan fast for
the first time, made easier by being at home with family, a silver lining in light of the ongoing school
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
3/7
5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
closures that have disrupted the routines of every Ontario student.
“It was beautiful,” Gulaid said about her experience over the last month.
A young girl peeks out of the vehicles sunroof during the special drive-in Eid prayer at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY
FRASER/Postmedia
Tarik Saleh, who attended the drive-in prayer with his wife and three children, said his faith had been a
particular asset during the pandemic.
“Usually during calamity, you need to turn to something. Turn to your family, turn to your faith, to get
strength, to get power, to stay on with daily life,” Saleh said.
“Worshipping during Ramadan actually helped with that.”
Like every religious community, Muslims have had to adapt the logistics of practicing their faith in the
COVID-19 era. Most will spend the rest of the day celebrating Eid over the phone, FaceTime, WhatsApp,
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
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5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
and other virtual platforms, Ibrahim said. But, soon enough, he said he hoped the Ontario government
would allow limited in-person religious gatherings that could allow Muslims to re-enter their mosques
while maintaining physical distancing, if it was safe to do so.
From Eid celebrations over Zoom to virtual prayer, all services have been converted “from face-to-face,
heart-to-heart, human-to-human, to a machine or a TV to a human,” Ibrahim said. “It is OK, but not for
long.”
A volunteer prays during a special drive-in Eid prayer at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY FRASER/Postmedia
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'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
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'The strangest Ramadan ever:' Ottawa Muslims
COVID-19
See local businesses open during COVID See local businesses open
celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer
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Taylor Blewett
1 day ago • 3 minute read
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Imam Muhammad Sulaiman leads a special drive-in Eid prayer at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY FRASER / Postmedia
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
1/7
5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
TRENDING
The plans for the Ottawa Mosque’s first drive-in prayer to celebrate Eid al-Fitr were finalized around 2:30
a.m. Saturday.
Hours later, hundreds of cars filled a parking lot behind the mosque on Northwestern Avenue, with car
radios tuned to a station where Imam Muhammad Sulaiman would lead the Eid prayer. Some cars were
decorated with balloons or ribbons, a way of maintaining some cheer during one of the most significant
Islamic festivals, marking the end of Ramadan and a month of fasting from dawn to sunset. Occasionally, a
head would pop out of a sunroof so that person could wave at a friend.
Beating COVID and 73 years married
Organizing the event to comply with a recent Ontario order permitting drive-in religious services while
maintaining physical distancing was a major logistical feat, and arranging the final details had to wait until
the last minute because the Council of Imams of Ottawa-Gatineau had to confirm a moon sighting to kick
off Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
2/7
5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
A special drive-in Eid prayer was held at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY FRASER/Postmedia
The final scramble to prepare the drive-in prayer was the culmination of “the strangest Ramadan ever” for
Ottawa Muslim Association President Ahmed Ibrahim. The mosque would normally be at full capacity,
around the clock, all month. Prayer and Iftar dinners bring together a community that feels more like
family, Ibrahim said.
Instead, like everyone else, local Muslims spent the month of Ramadan at home, practising physical
distancing. They prayed with immediate family instead of at the mosque. There’s a lot to miss, but there
have also been upsides to this disruption to the norm, Ibrahim said. Parents were encouraged to connect
more their children, read the Quran and practise the rituals of Ramadan together.
“People spent more time with their families, spent more times with their kids, there were tons of
connections,” Ibrahim said. “Hopefully, that will enrich the family.”
One prayer attendee, Khadra Gulaid, said her young daughter was able to complete her Ramadan fast for
the first time, made easier by being at home with family, a silver lining in light of the ongoing school
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
3/7
5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
closures that have disrupted the routines of every Ontario student.
“It was beautiful,” Gulaid said about her experience over the last month.
A young girl peeks out of the vehicles sunroof during the special drive-in Eid prayer at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY
FRASER/Postmedia
Tarik Saleh, who attended the drive-in prayer with his wife and three children, said his faith had been a
particular asset during the pandemic.
“Usually during calamity, you need to turn to something. Turn to your family, turn to your faith, to get
strength, to get power, to stay on with daily life,” Saleh said.
“Worshipping during Ramadan actually helped with that.”
Like every religious community, Muslims have had to adapt the logistics of practicing their faith in the
COVID-19 era. Most will spend the rest of the day celebrating Eid over the phone, FaceTime, WhatsApp,
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
4/7
5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
and other virtual platforms, Ibrahim said. But, soon enough, he said he hoped the Ontario government
would allow limited in-person religious gatherings that could allow Muslims to re-enter their mosques
while maintaining physical distancing, if it was safe to do so.
From Eid celebrations over Zoom to virtual prayer, all services have been converted “from face-to-face,
heart-to-heart, human-to-human, to a machine or a TV to a human,” Ibrahim said. “It is OK, but not for
long.”
A volunteer prays during a special drive-in Eid prayer at the Ottawa Mosque on Saturday. ASHLEY FRASER/Postmedia
'We need to survive': Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend goes virtual, while organizers plan for
uncertain future
https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/the-strangest-ramadan-ever-ottawa-muslims-celebrate-eid-with-drive-in-prayer/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_…
5/7
5/25/2020
'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
TRENDING
1
2
3
4
5
Landlord alleges DavidsTea is skipping rent on Glebe store, forcing eviction
Want a COVID-19 test? Go get one, Ottawa Public Health now saying
Drive-in cinemas, raves and dining behind plastic - the new going out
No need to show proof of work permit to get CERB, Ottawa tells temporary foreign residents
That was then: If Mrs. Laframboise wasn't guilty of this brutal killing, who was?
THIS WEEK IN FLYERS
COMMENTS
Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to
share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on
the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications
—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment
thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information
and details on how to adjust your email settings.
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'The strangest Ramadan ever': Ottawa Muslims celebrate Eid with drive-in prayer | Ottawa Citizen
365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4
© 2020 Ottawa Citizen, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized distribution, transmission or republication
strictly prohibited.
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