Also friends and family would visit us and we visited them in return. It has been a very festive time of the year for me and my family.
I feel depressed because we can’t have those gatherings and have to maintain social distance.
Also I’m not good with doing things virtually.
Answer
In this counseling answer:
Maintain contact through other means such as telephone or even video calls.
Spend more time reading the Quran, praying, making dhikr and reading any Islamic material you have around the house.
If you have other people living with you then spend time doing these things together.
Assalamu alikum,
It certainly is a challenging time for all and now we face the anxiety of fasting Ramadan while unable to follow the same routine as usual. Especially when it comes to spending time with friends and family.
Different Ramadan
Ramadan is typically a time when we spend more time with our loved ones. But due to the current situation that cannot be possible for most people due to the restrictions imposed globally at present.
A very good solution available to at least alleviate this anxiety to some extent and relieve such anxieties is to maintain contact through other means such as telephone or even video calls.
This is what many are turning to at this time to maintain contact in the meantime until this crisis passes.
You mention that you are not good at doing things virtually, but now might be a good time to give it a try for the sake of your own well being.
Give it a try
Doing things differently to normal is usually daunting especially if one feels like they simply don’t know how to do something which pushes them away from even giving it a go.
For the sake of maintaining social ties via the only means possible for now do give it a go.
If you don’t know how then if there is someone in your household who could help out then ask them to help you at least get to grips with the basics.
It might be daunting now, but once you get the hang of it will come a lot more naturally and without the anxieties you currently have about it.
Otherwise you might call someone who could walk you through it step by step until you get used to using it all by yourself.
Eventually you will experience the benefits of using such methods and enjoy spending time virtually with your friends and family.
Also it will help develop a positive feeling towards using such things and will be much more eager to use them.
Check out this counseling video:
Virtual gatherings
Of course, talking over a video call is not the same as seeing them and being with them in person, but it is as close as you can get to it at this time.
You can’t break your fasts together from the same plate, but you could do so from behind a screen where you can with each other, only not face to face.
If the thought of facing trying to use such technology is too difficult then you can at least maintain ties through regular telephone calls for now.
In time you may have more desire to try out the various ways of video calling, but at least start with telephone calls as a means to maintain your well being.
Spiritual activities
If neither of these are an option for you, or even if they are, do make sure to emerge yourself in spiritual activities during Ramadan to support yourself in your spiritual journey.
With more time at home now there has never been a better time for this to be facilitated.
Spend more time reading the Quran, praying, making dhikr and reading any Islamic material you have around the house. If you have other people living with you then spend time doing these things together also.
This will help give you the sense of social connection that is often boosted during Ramadan, and will also strengthen your relations together as well as being a means to encourage each other to engage in such activities.
Conclusion
Again, now might be a good time to learn new skills in making the most of virtual means of accessing the same.
With a wealth of materials and groups available on the internet you can explore beyond what you have available at home and learn from virtual sources such as online lectures and courses.
It may be that you need to ask others for support in doing this, but these are useful skills to learn even beyond Ramadan.
In sha Allah these times will soon pass and you will be reunited with your friends and family from outside the home, but for now we must make do with what’s available to us.
Use this as an opportunity to thank Allah for your blessings because in many cases we don’t appreciate them until they are taken away from us.
For example, every year we attend social gatherings for Ramadan without a second thought, but now that has been taken away we come to realize just how important these people and opportunities are to us.
This will make us more grateful as people and encourage us to appreciate the things we might otherwise overlook.
May Allah make it easy for during this testing time. May He ease your anxieties and grant you a blessed Ramadan full of spiritual enlightenment.
salam,
***
Disclaimer: The conceptualization and recommendations stated in this response are very general and purely based on the limited information provided in the question. In no event shall AboutIslam, its counselors or employees are liable for any damages that may arise from your decision in the use of our services.
Read more:
https://aboutislam.net/shariah/special-coverage-shariah/your-guide-to-ramadan-in-depth/
https://aboutislam.net/muslim-issues/n-america/muslim-group-launches-virtual-ramadan-campaign/