Eid during Covid-19: could the pandemic push Eideyya online?

Covid fears and travel restrictions raise concerns about traditional cash gifts

Muslims take part in the Eid Al Fitr prayer at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2020. Reuters

A Muslim girl reacts as she prepares for a special prayer in her home during the Eid Al Fitr festival in Kathmandu, Nepal. AFP

Students of a madrasah, or an Islamic school, greet each other after performing the Eid Al Fitr prayer in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Getty Images

Indonesian women pray during Eid Al Fitr, the festival marking the end of Ramadan, at a mosque in Banda Aceh, Aceh Province, Indonesia. Reuters

Muslims sit apart as they perform Eid Al Fitr prayers at home during lockdown, to combat coronavirus pandemic, in Kolkata, India. EPA

Three Indonesian women pose for photographs while celebrating Eid Al Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, at the Taipei Railway Station in Taipei, Taiwan. EPA

Iraqi children play at a playground during celebrations of the Eid Al Fitr in the old city of Iraq's northern Mosul. AFP

Thai Muslims celebrate Eid Al Fitr at The Foundation of the Islamic Centre of Thailand to mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan in Bangkok, Thailand. Getty Images

Syrian children play at a makeshift amusement park as they celebrate Eid Al Fitr in Syria's north-west city of Idlib. AFP

Farood Ahmed with his wife Sana and sons Zaine, Rayan, Usman and daughter Inaya offer Eid prayers at home in Surbiton, London. Reuters

Joint supervisor Mohmed El Idrissi offers supplication behind a glass door that reads 'Eid Mubarak' during the Eid Al Fitr in Falls Church, Virginia, US. EPA

The courtyard and surrounding roads of the closed Grand Camlica Mosque are seen empty in Istanbul, Turkey. Getty Images

Ali Ibrahim Ambar, a trader, salutes Muslims after performing the Eid prayers in Nairobi, Kenya. Reuters

Devotees offer Eid Al Fitr prayers at the Jami mosque, in Herat, Afghanistan. AFP

In his home in Gaziantep, Turkey, Syrian refugee Mohammed does not see the point of giving money to his three-year-old daughter Seba this Eid Al Fitr.

The holiday, which marks the end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, is known for its large feasts, indulgent sugary treats and the traditional Eideyya, a sum of cash usually given to children as a gift by adult relatives and friends.

Showing off new clothes at large gatherings is also a feature of the three-day holiday.

"I bought my daughter Eid clothes but, unfortunately, she won't be able to wear them outside the house," the Mohammed, who is in his 30s, told The National. "We won't be able to go to amusement parks, or toy stores. I will add her Eid money to her savings for later when she can use it."

Mohammed provided only his first name because  his job requires him to remain anonymous for security reasons.

Turkey is on a 17-day lockdown; the country’s strictest measures yet to curb the spread of the coronavirus, which has killed more than 43,000 people there and infected five million.

Lockdowns and travel restrictions mean no large family gatherings this Eid, ruining the way people are accustomed to celebrating with family and friends.

A social media poll of 538 people conducted by The National showed a strong divide between people willing to change to a digital medium to exchange gifts. More than half of those polled said they would rather give and receive Eid money via a wire transfer. The rest voted for cash.
"The future is cashless," said Bahraini university student Abdullah Bawazeer, who participated in the poll. "That is inevitable. So yes, I'm looking forward to getting money digitally."

But Saudi communications specialist Muath bin Nujiyfan, 25, said he would rather not give cash at all if the only option was to do it online.

“It does not feel the same as when you hand it to someone, from your hand to theirs, and see their reaction.”

The eldest, he usually gives his five siblings between 100 riyals ($26) and 50 riyalsevery year, depending on their age.

The pleasure associated with receiving what relatively little money every adult places in tiny hands brightens faces and creates unforgettable childhood memories.

The World Health Organisation is urging people not to use cash because it may lead to the spread of the disease, but some people appear to be taking that warning lightly.

Palestinian-Jordanian Bahaa Mahmoud Shihahdeh, 32, said it is considered shameful among members of his family to not hand children their Eid money, especially in communities where wire transfers are looked at with scepticism.

“They are not afraid of the coronavirus,” he said. "They will give cash without issues. Plus, they do not trust online money transfers."

That is exactly what television writer Jordanian Razan Al Zouabi,25, believes.

“It is simply tradition. We just have to be careful.”