In the situation of COVID-19 pandemic that spread almost all over the world and reached Bulgaria as well, the management of Regional Mufti’s Office – Varna chose one non-traditional way to celebrate the Night of Mi’raj. The festive religious program, held on March 21 (Saturday) evening, took place with the participation of three imams from the local mufti’s office – the long-term seconded guest-imam from the Republic of Turkey Salih Kaplan, the imam of the central mosque of Varna Ismail Ahmedov, and the imam of the mosque in Asparuhovo quarter Samir Mehmed. The one-hour program, broadcasted live online on the social network Facebook, included reading of mawlid, thematic vaaz (preaching) and religious counseling on the occasion of the Night of Mi’raj, as well as dua (supplication) for the health of the people all over the world.

Using the online opportunities for meeting also the spiritual-religious needs of the Muslim community in our country obviously will be one of the ways in which the mufti’s offices in our country and the Muslim Denomination in general will continue their religious-educational activities even in the difficult conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We would like to recall that already one week the mosques in our country are almost empty. The congregational prayers, including Jumu’ah prayer, and all other forms of religious gatherings and events, were officially suspended with an order of the Muslim Denomination. It is expected that it will be in force until lifting the state of emergency in the country. These are just some of the measures undertaken by the official institution of the Muslims in Bulgaria in order to limit the pandemic of the new coronavirus.

Author: L. Chausheva