Eid goes online in Saudi Arabia as coronavirus keeps people at home

With a 24-hour curfew, residents are finding creative ways to connect with family and friends

An aerial view of the Abraj al-Bait Makkah Royal Clock Tower overlooking the Grand Mosque and Kaaba in Makkah in the early hours of Eid Al Fitr as Saudi Arabia began a five-day, round-the-clock curfew. AFP

Worshippers gathering before the Kaaba at the Grand Mosque in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Makkah to attend Eid prayers. AFP

Eid prayers were held at the two holy mosques in the cities of Makkah and Madinah "without worshippers". Makkah's Grand Mosque has been almost devoid of worshippers since March, with a stunning emptiness enveloping the sacred Kaaba. AFP

A worshipper offers sweets to a security guards, some with face masks, during Eid Al Fitr prayers at the Grand Mosque. AFP

The area of Al Balad in Jeddah is usually bustling during Eid Al Fitr but has been quiet this year. The Saudi authorities announced a 24-hour curfew would go into effect on May 23. Stringer for The National

The area of Al Balad in Jeddah is usually bustling during Eid Al Fitr but has been quiet this year. The Saudi authorities announced a 24-hour curfew would go into effect on May 23. Stringer for The National

Bait Naseef one of the most famous monuments in the Al Balad area of Jeddah. Stringer for The National

A view of an empty main road in the Saudi capital Riyadh, early on the first day of Eid Al Fitr. AFP

Saudi Arabia began a five-day, round-the-clock curfew from May 23 after Covid-19 infections more than quadrupled since the start of Ramadan to around 68,000. AFP

Saudi Arabia, like many countries around the world, is experiencing an Eid Al Fitr like no other.

"This Eid is not just a little different, it's entirely different," Dr Turky Al Solami, Assistant Professor of TESOL and Technology at King Abdulaziz University, told The National.

"We are accustomed to certain traditions to follow during Eid Al Fitr – visit each other's houses, to have big meals together – so, the whole week is like one long festival. Not this time."

Praying at mosques, visiting relatives, exchanging gifts and spending the night at special parties with families and friends are common traditions for Saudis during Eid.

But this year, the authorities announced a 24-hour curfew from May 23 – the day before the celebrations began – until May 27 when the holiday ends.

Mr Al Solami said that this year, smartphones, instant messaging applications, video calls and social media are replacing the face-to-face gatherings. "Covid-19 has changed our social life," he said.

Meanwhile, Adel Al Harbi, who works in Makkah, usually takes his wife and three children to Jeddah, 66 kilometres away, to spend Eid with extended family.

But this year he has stayed home.

"Normally on Eid day, we go to the Holy Mosque in Makkah for Eid prayers then we drive all the way to Jeddah to see my parents and also gather with all members of our family and have a big feast," he told The National.

"Then we spend time with all relatives, doing family activities and visiting other relatives before a big get-together at my friends' house."

This year, Mr Al Harbi and his family will look for new ways to stay entertained as they spend the holiday within their apartment.

Many Saudis also use the extended break to travel. With airports around the world closed and flights grounded, that is no longer possible.

"As a single person, I usually travel to Egypt or Dubai to spend Eid with friends but this year I will not be able to travel or even go out," said Faris Al Amoudi, 26. "Unlike the previous Eid, this one will be quite different."

He said that he will have a virtual Eid party with his family and friends on the Zoom video chat application. He also has a long list of movies to watch.

In the coastal city of Jeddah, Saudis and expatriates usually pass Eid with plays, firework displays, comedy shows or children's performances.

In the heart of the city's Al Balad neighbourhood, the Historic Jeddah Festival usually gives visitors a realistic glimpse of how Eid was in the old days. There, storytellers sit with children and narrate accounts of how Hijazi families spent Eid long ago and regale crowds with folklore displays.

Sami Halawani, 43, who lives in Jeddah's old quarter, said that Al Balad is almost unrecognisable. The historical area usually hosts an estimated 100,000 visitors a day during Ramadan and Eid, but this year it has been empty due to the coronavirus lockdown.

"Al Balad is one of the favourite places for many people to go during Ramadan and Eid nights for its festive mood, and the area is a living cocktail of cultures and traditions," he explained. "But it is like a ghost town this year. Sure, we see some people during the day for a few hours but at night it is deserted."