Celebrities Urge Muslims to Celebrate Eid at Home & Follow Social Distancing

Cricketer Saqlain Mushtaq, Citizen Khan creator Adil Ray, Konnie Huq and others have messages for Muslims to celebrate Eid at home. 

Marking the end of Ramadan, this traditional festival of Eid is a time of communal prayers at mosques and get together of friends and families. But this year due to Coronavirus pandemic people are asked to remain at home and follow social distancing whenever going out.  

Eid is a special time for nearly 2 billion Muslims around the world. The prayers are the best attended during this time, but due to COVID-19 lockdowns, mosques are currently closed.

Various celebrities have come forward through a video posted online and asked Muslims to stay at home and celebrate with others virtually. Talking and urging to Muslims, creator and actor of Citizen khan said that "This year, we can stay home, save lives and give consideration to others. What a wonderful Eid gift that would be." 

Konnie Huq, former Blue Peter presenter, and children's book author said that "By following the guidance we are helping to protect not just ourselves but also our families." 

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) did an analysis and found out that People of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and mixed ethnicity have increased risk of COVID-19 death as compared to those of White ethnicity. Chris Witty, Chief medical officer said that we have to adapt religious celebrations to meet social distancing rules. “The clear answer for all faiths is people will have to adapt the celebrations, the joyful celebrations, around current social distancing rules. And everybody knows what those rules are and they remain the same for every community. And the reason we must all do that is, this is to protect the whole community, all communities and all of us must find ways around this, of whatever faith.” He Said.

He further added that “I know that all Muslim colleagues and friends of mine are adapting as every other faith has adapted over this period to make sure they can maintain both the celebration but also maintain the social distancing, which is absolutely critical to keeping the R below one, and the transmission rates going down across the whole of the UK.”