Iraqis of African descent keep to musical traditions during Ramadan

Members of Qatar's philharmonic orchestra perform from their balconies one last time before Ramadan in Qatar's Qanat Quartier, a part of Doha's man-made Pearl island. The musicians had made it a weekly tradition to perform outside since the orchestra was forced to stop its regular concert series due to the measures put in place by the authorities to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus in the country.

How to reconcile religion and the challenges of social distancing? As Muslims the world over embark on a month of fasting and prayer, what does it mean to attend mosque or to invite loved ones and good friends for the Iftar, the nightly breaking of the fast? As with other religions, we ask why most in the Muslim world are putting public safety before centuries-old rites and practice… while still some ignore the risk of Covid-19.

Muslim worshippers pray while respecting the social distancing restrictions next to the Kaaba in Mecca's Grand Mosque. Saudi Arabia partially lifted its curfew but said it would maintain a round-the-clock lockdown in the holy city of Mecca.

There is a curfew in place in the Somali capital, and authorities have pleaded with worshippers to stay home as coronavirus infections rise. But many carry on with normal life.

Africa's measures to slow down COVID-19 have changed how the holy month of Ramadan is observed, restricting Muslims to their homes. Previously, followers of Islam prayed in mosques and broke the daily fast together.

Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, this year’s Ramadan is an unusual one for the Muslim community who are used to gathering together to pray and share meals as a community. Mosques around the world, including the holy sites in Mecca and Medina, have also been closed. These are a few of the reasons why this year's Ramadan is looking very different for adherents Islam around the world.⁣

Ramadan is typically a period of both worship and socialising, but this year strict lockdowns have limited gatherings for iftar meals at dusk when the fast is broken — a centrepiece of Ramadan. For millions of Muslims around the world, this Ramadan is unlike any other, with closed mosques and family gatherings forbidden.

In order to discourage large gatherings during Britain's coronavirus lockdown the country's mosques have generally stopped broadcasting the traditional call to prayer. But with the holy season of Ramadan drawing to a close, one of Britain's largest Muslim places of worship, the Baitul Futuh Mosque in south London, has been granted permission to resume their evening call to prayer.

Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into the teachings of Islam and here are seven important of Ramadan in Islam.

Muslims around the world have began celebrating Eid al-Fitr, a normally festive holiday, spoilt by stay-at-home orders and fears of fresh coronavirus outbreaks. DW looks at how countries have altered their plans.

Iraqis rally on Baghdad's iconic al-Jumhuriya Bridge on the first anniversary of a revolt against a political system failing to deliver basic services and against the growing influence of pro-Iran militias.

Hundreds of angry Iraqis protest in several cities against a currency devaluation that has slashed their purchasing power amid a pandemic-fuelled economic crisis. The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) at the weekend devalued the currency by over a fifth against the US dollar, officially re-pegging the dinar at a bank rate of 1,460 to the greenback.