Despite challenges faced during Ramadan, Muslims embraced changes and adopted alternative ways of expressing care and unity as well as strengthening ties among people from different beliefs and races, RSIS Associate Research Fellow Ahmad Saiful Rijal Bin Hassan wrote in a commentary. Faithful Muslims who are observing Ramadan in the current pandemic situation can learn a number of lessons from the restrictions imposed, but it certainly does not prevent them from celebrating the spirit of Ramadan and sharing the joy of happiness with their non-Muslim friends, he added.

Ahmad Saiful Rijal Bin Hassan is an Associate Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore.