The coronavirus outbreak has deprived daily wage workers of making a living KABUL: They have survived four decades of war but war-weary Afghans say that they are going through a “never before seen” Ramadan — with limited resources and scaled-back activities due to the COVID-19 lockdown. “It is a fasting month that has never been seen or experienced before in the history of Afghanistan and possibly in the history of Islam as a whole,” Rahim Shah, a 50-year-old car dealer, told Arab News. He said that before the outbreak, there was “at least a sense of happiness that Ramadan would allow us to fast in a peaceful atmosphere,” mainly due to a reduction in violence by rival groups observing a cease-fire. “Now, things look far gloomier than they did in the past. People can no longer work for a livelihood as they are expected to ensure strict quarantine measures,” he said, joining several Afghans who say the outbreak has eclipsed the joy of the holy month. “During the civil war and before that, in all other situations of war, mosques would be open all the time, and people went for individual and congregational prayers day and night. But this Ramadan is an exceptionally different one because of the coronavirus,” said Rahmatullah, a 55-year-old grocer. Pandemic With major cities under weeks of lockdown, the outbreak has deprived daily wage workers of making a living, in addition to creating a scarcity of medicines triggered by a ban on international flights — resulting in a spike in drug prices and essential services. HIGHLIGHT This Ramadan is an exceptionally different one because of the coronavirus. The pandemic has also partially hampered the start of the much-awaited intra-Afghan talks as per a deal signed between the Taliban and the US in late February this year. Among other curbs, it has led to the Hajj Ministry urging people to refrain from offering taraweeh (or special Ramadan prayers) in mosques, some of which have been closed as part of anti-virus measures. While there have been fewer deaths reported in Afghanistan compared to other parts of the world, the Public Health Ministry predicts that the coming months could be “highly critical” for the country. In an interview with a local TV channel, Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh warned that as many as 300,000 could die from the virus. Repeated warnings by authorities, and a questionable health care system, have alarmed many in Afghanistan where, as in other Islamic countries, Ramadan holds special prominence for Muslims. For the common man, it is nothing short of a “doomsday,” Qari Shafiq, a cleric at a local mosque in Kabul, told Arab News. “This year, Ramadan is different when compared to any other in the past. We are not supposed to pray together, prepare meals for a large gathering of poor people and must observe a lockdown. This feels like doomsday in a sense if you deeply look into this crisis,” he said.