Photograph by Christina @ wocintechchat.com via Unsplash

For many Muslims, Ramadan is a time for religious reflection, practicing patience, getting closer to God through prayer and fasting, and giving to charity. During this time, Muslims look forward to spending time with their families and communities for religious observance and to celebrate being a part of the global Muslim community who are celebrating Ramadan in diverse ways all over the world. Many Muslims adjust their daily lives to fit a better schedule in Ramadan such as setting aside time for an in-person iftar (time to eat when breaking fast at sunset) at the local mosque or with family and friends, or attending the mosque for nightly congregational taraweeh prayers (optional Ramadan-time prayers) which take place after isha (the last of the five daily prayers which takes place at nighttime). These prayers could be done at home, but many Muslims choose to attend the mosque and pray in a congregational setting in Ramadan. While some Muslims can attend in-person events to participate in Ramadan activities, what about those who cannot be physically present and be a part of a community? How is the internet used for Ramadan?

Five years ago, COVID-19 forced Muslims to find alternative ways to observe communal Ramadan activities which fell within local restrictions of not getting together in-person to avoid the spread of the virus. Many Muslims were able to find alternative ways through online spaces, where they continue to engage today. Religious and nonreligious communities already existed in the online world due to its instant access and speed of attaining information, accessing material and people that were inaccessible offline. COVID-19 just reinforced the opportunities of online access for Muslims (as well as believers of other faiths) and it served as a reminder to all about those who could not access physical spaces in the first place, whether owing to physical limitations, the inaccessibility to attend mosques and dinners with family and friends, or not having a sense of belonging or community in offline spaces. In addition to individuals, mosque administrations also had to find ways to be more active online to keep in touch with their members. Prayers were livestreamed. Online seminars were held. Prayer circles met on Zoom. Without the internet, it would have been impossible for people to gather when in-person congregations were banned for safety reasons.

Today, there are many ways to observe Ramadan virtually. Rabata is a nonprofit organization that provides services and education to Muslim women through spiritual upbringing and community care. This Ramadan, they are offering numerous online programs for Muslim women to participate in globally: daily Quran recitation, an Instagram live session, halaqa (study circle), duaa (personal prayer) for Quran completion, a WhatsApp thread for worship, an Eid program, and many others. Islamic Relief USA – a charity organization – provides downloadable Ramadan calendars for all ages which are filled with daily duaas, “bad habit breaker” charts to fill in, space to write goals to achieve in Ramadan, and daily checklists to track Quran recitation, prayers, and reflections. They also offer other downloadable materials such as “Ramadan Good Deeds Challenge,” “30 khawatir” (special lessons), printable Ramadan decorations, recipe cards, and Ramadan and Eid greeting cards. The Canadian Council for Muslim Women (CCMW) has held at least three virtual iftars for participants. At this event, meals would be catered to those who signed up and everyone would meet online on Zoom to break their fast together as an online community.

At this event, each participant received a box of Palestinian dates by mail with their catered meal from Halal Meals, with a featured short film “Something from There” that everyone would watch together. Events like this give opportunities to people who may not have a sense of community or belonging in offline spaces to be a part of community in online spaces. For those who cannot be with their family or friends, or those who have yet to find an offline community such as Muslim reverts (otherwise known as converts), events like virtual iftars offer spaces for inclusion and acceptance, with the convenience of connecting with community and making new friends.

The pandemic restrictions prompted people to engage online to discover communities that were out of reach before. Going online to experience Ramadan is not strictly just for Muslims, as anyone can join similar online activities to learn more about Muslims and Islam. In addition to specific online Ramadan events, there are other things that people can engage with for religious purposes online. This includes following their favourite religious leader or Islamic influencer on social media, watching Islamic lifestyle content or Islamic sermons on TikTok, and using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT to learn about Islamic information or creating Islamic-themed images powered by AI through software like DALL-E or MidJourney.

Participating in the communal activities of Ramadan is now accessible to everyone and anyone who has access to the internet. It is no longer necessary to go to a mosque or a family dinner. If one cannot be physically present for any reason, they can join an iftar online at sunset and eat together with others who are present on screen. They can also meet with other individuals on social media, video chats, or attend virtual events for Ramadan activities – be it discussing religious texts, praying together, creating duaa checklists, or watching videos about Muslims and Islam on their phones. Online spaces have made it easier to find likeminded religious communities and individuals, especially in times like Ramadan.

This is the second article in our Ramadan 2025 series.