Windsor's Muslim community prepares for in-person Ramadan celebrations

With COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Windsor's Muslim community is preparing to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan together.

"The first Ramadan that COVID hit, we weren't even able to come to the mosque," said Osama Warsi of the Windsor Islamic Association's council for media. "There was a longing feeling to come back."

This year, however, will be different, he said, with the mosque once again welcoming Muslims during Ramadan, which begins this weekend.

"We're finally able to stand shoulder to shoulder," Warsi said. "It's a very important thing in congregational prayer for Muslims to stand shoulder to shoulder."

"It is a representation of togetherness and community, and it's very important for Muslims, especially now that we're having night prayers be available at the mosque."

Warsi said there will be some restrictions in place at the mosque, including requirements for social distancing and wearing masks while in prayer.

"However, when you're standing shoulder to shoulder, the closeness is still going to be present," he said. "It's going to be great."

Wissam Kabbani, principal of the Windsor Islamic High School, said students there are looking forward to this year's Ramadan, as well, as the pandemic prevented students from celebrating Ramadan together.

"This year it is more important, because we will share ... our prayers," he said. "It will be a different environment spiritually when you're gathered together."

"The students are doing several activities during this this month about understanding more about this holy month," Kabbani said. "And when all students are together in person, fasting together, you have this spiritual force that gathers them together."

Kabbani said students are able to exempt themselves from some aspects of Ramadan, such as fasting or late-night prayers, if they believe they may have an impact on their academic performance.

The school, he said, informs "students of the allowance Islam gives for them to break the fast and make it up later if they feel fasting will in any way jeopardize their performance," he said. "Most of them now, because they have this background and they've been through this, they don't have this big problem."