This has been an unusual Ramadan for Alaa Elsayed.
For the resident scholar with the Islamic Centre of Canada (ICC), Ramadan — a month when Muslims are obligated to fast from dawn to dusk, work on self-improvement and increase charitable acts — is usually the busiest time of the year at the Mississauga-based mosque.
This year, the forced closure of religious centres to curb the spread of coronavirus means worshippers have been missing out on the special traditions of the holy month, which began last Friday: attending day and night prayers, breaking fast together with friends and community members, and donating generously to causes locally and abroad.