Arnhem and Rotterdam mayors Ahmed Marcouch and Ahmed Aboutaleb have called on Muslims to stay at home during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of month fasting which starts on Thursday, and not go out for iftar, the meal eaten after sunset.

The mayors put their message out via a video on Twitter.  ‘For health reasons we must pray and eat at home,’ the mayors stressed. ‘Think of the health of your dear ones and stay at home!’

Mosques nationwide are closed because of the ban on organised meetings. Religious ceremonies are only allowed if fewer than 30 people are present and social distancing can be maintained.

Deze week begint de Ramadan. Wij hopen van harte dat het jullie ongelofelijk veel veiligheid en gezondheid zal brengen. Denk aan je gezondheid, en aan die van je dierbaren. Blijf daarom thuis, ook voor gebed en de iftar. Een gezegende maand. #Ramadan Mubarak.#رمضان_كريم pic.twitter.com/w6XcXJVw5a

— Ahmed Marcouch (@ahmedmarcouch) April 22, 2020

In Amsterdam, 20 mosques have set up special teams of volunteers to make sure groups of youths don’t converge on the streets after sundown, the Telegraaf reports. Alternative ways to share religious services and iftar are being circulated around the community as well.

‘Normally it gets busy in the mosques after the iftar,’ city imam Yassin Elforkani said. ‘But now that is not possible, we are hoping the neighbourhood teams will make sure there are no problems.’