![Maryam Razmpush (left) runs to the picnic set up in her family's backyard with her granddaughters Maya Alikhani (centre) and Norah Alikhani (right).](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/eb82d36b-6c29-4053-a4b0-883ced0a508d/1/1/1-Youssef-042021-01.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
For Muslims around the world, this Ramadan marks the second during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Canada, it comes squarely in the third wave. During this holy month, Muslims don’t eat or drink from dawn to sunset; they engage in prayer, spiritual reflection and charity. At sunset each day, the fast is broken with a meal called iftar, usually shared with family, friends and community members. This year, these gatherings are being held in ways that respect pandemic restrictions.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a pause on many people’s Ramadan traditions and altered their perspective on what the holy month means to them. For many, the public-health restrictions have taken away distractions and allowed them to connect more deeply with their spirituality. Families have had more time with each other, and with those in their household bubbles, than during any previous Ramadan. There is a new-found gratitude for being outdoors, where it is possible to gather safely. This photo essay showcases families and friends who came together to break their fasts with iftar picnics.
This cover story was published in May 2021 by the Globe and Mail and can be read here.
![Maryam Razmpush (left) sits with her granddaughter Norah Alikhani (right) at an Iftar picnic she prepared in the family’s backyard.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/4fc57154-dd88-4c69-b115-1b6da271ce95/1/1/2-Youssef-042021-02.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=472c57c3c49dcbb2a042fa08dafd60d8282de32bb682ba0fd8cdc16c5132ac9e)
![From left to right: Maryam Razmpush, Norah Alikhani, Maya Alikhani, Kamila Alikhani, and Mason Alikhani sit under their backyard’s cherry blossom tree for an Iftar picnic.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/a53c4706-4ba9-4265-bddc-6644abd2aca4/1/1/3-Youssef-042021-03.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=472c57c3c49dcbb2a042fa08dafd60d8282de32bb682ba0fd8cdc16c5132ac9e)
![Kamila Alikhani (left), her husband Mason Alikhani (right), sit with their daughter Maya Alikhani (centre) at their backyard Iftar picnic.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/134faf91-18e2-477f-af21-e9050f6ee6eb/1/1/4-Youssef-042021-04.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![Mina Khan (left) and Marta Miazek (right) pray following sunset at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, BC.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/c4459e48-e83e-4d3d-a909-0f4891eeff2f/1/1/5-Youssef-042621-01.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![Mina Khan places a chocolate covered date onto her plate at a socially distant Iftar picnic at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, BC.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/83f9bbf6-fe4f-45fd-84b1-f9e1e86e5682/1/1/6-Youssef-042621-02.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![Marta Miazek (left) and her friend Mina Khan (right) enjoy a socially distant picnic at Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver, BC.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/3466e978-cf42-4b27-8566-b9d85657d872/1/1/7-Youssef-042621-03.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![Nour Enayeh mixes together a cucumber and green salad while picnicking with her family at a popular park along Vancouver’s False Creek Seawall. She shared: “We will break our fast with water and dates. I prepared rice with peas and chicken which is a trad](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/0fe0355e-93ac-44a8-bf35-3d03876f00af/1/1/8-Youssef-042221-01.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
Nour Enayeh mixes together a cucumber and green salad while picnicking with her family at a popular park along Vancouver’s False Creek Seawall.
![Nour Enayeh (centre) and her two children, Iman El-Safadi (left) and Youssof El-Safadi (right) have an Iftar Picnic at a popular park along Vancouver’s False Creek Seawall.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/96e6e49b-1b79-4390-840e-a018a41e4c94/1/1/9-Youssef-042221-02.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![Jordan Ouellette (left) passes a toy to his wife Sarah Munawar (right) for their 5 month old baby Ihsaan, while enjoying a picnic with takeout food from a local grocer at a Vancouver beach.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/def91340-1444-4f3c-af09-d06e45bc1d6f/1/1/10-Youssef-042121-01.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![Sarah Munawar (right), Jordan Ouellette (left), and their 5 month old baby Ihsaan, enjoy a picnic with takeout food from a local grocer at a Vancouver beach.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/76d30d03-2d95-4bff-bd4d-0fa7c8b40fe1/1/1/11-Youssef-042121-02.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![From left to right: Mahir Sumar, Zunera Khan, Rushd Khan, Danieh Khan, Arshiya Khan, Urba Khan, Midha Khan, Zafar Khan, and Lubna Khan, make dua (a prayer of supplication) before breaking their fast while picnicking in a Surrey, BC park.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/b80fd129-fe18-4451-b12d-b28751599b89/1/1/12-Youssef-041621-01.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![Danieh Khan (right) passes a date to her mother, while her sister Urba Khan (centre) and niece Sophia Khan (left) watch on. The Khan family break their fast with dates and water while picnicking in a Surrey, BC park.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/65f68b50-6340-4ccb-bf0b-d3bde78e43b0/1/1/13-Youssef-041621-02.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)
![For the Khan Family’s Iftar picnic they created an Iftar version of a charcuterie board. They shared that it includes "mom's famous chicken sandwiches, spring rolls, and Chaat Papri. Chaat Papri is a popular Pakistani dish which contains chickpeas, masal](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,2000,3000,1600,3000/0-0-0/9d5808d1-da23-443f-bcf4-c6c3994ac952/1/1/14-Youssef-041621-03.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=472c57c3c49dcbb2a042fa08dafd60d8282de32bb682ba0fd8cdc16c5132ac9e)
For the Khan Family’s Iftar picnic they created an Iftar version of a charcuterie board.
![Arshiya Khan (right) and her husband Rushd Khan (left) converse while sipping on a sherbet called Rooh Afza at their family’s Iftar picnic in a Surrey, BC park.](https://format.creatorcdn.com/da190a00-7d8e-45f2-9c50-94f2ba2f16bc/0/0/0/0,0,3000,2000,3000,1200/0-0-0/95be4648-92c6-49fd-98f0-9dbbf459fb02/1/1/15-Youssef-041621-04.jpg?fjkss=exp=2040395943~hmac=8ace401e7a61f337baf191a031d1f94e188d418488388631dbf539ab61378016)