jakarta muslims around the world began marking ramzan under coronavirus lockdown on friday with unprecedented bans on family gatherings and mass prayers while a pushback in some countries has sparked fears of a surge in infectionsthis year the holy daytime fasting month will be a sombre affair for many across asia the middle east and north africawidespread rules have been imposed banning praying in mosques or meeting relatives and friends for large iftar meals at dusk a centrepiece of the monthlong fastthe restrictions have put a damper on spirits in indonesia the worlds biggest muslim majority nation where national religious organisations have called on the faithful to stay at homethis ramzan is very different its just not festive said indonesian housewife fitria famelaim disappointed that i cant go to the mosque but what can we do the world is different nowhowever some religious leaders in asia home to nearly a billion of the worlds muslims have waved off fears about the spread of covid19the top islamic organisation in indonesias conservative aceh province publicly bucked a national order to stay at homeseveral thousand worshippers attended evening prayers thursday at the biggest mosque in the regions capital banda aceh though crowds were smaller than usualim not worried because im wearing a face mask and keeping my distance said cut fitrah riskiah one of those taking partthe threat of large religious gatherings has been highlighted in recent weeks by waves of infections in asia linked to separate massive islamic congregations in malaysia pakistan and indiaand the world health organization has called for a stop to some ramadan activities to limit exposurebut in bangladesh clerics have pushed back at attempts to shrink the number of people going to mosquesand pakistan has seen its mosques crammed in the lead up to ramzan with the faithful sitting shouldertoshoulder and paying little heed to social distancingmohamad shukri mohamad the top islamic cleric in the conservative malaysian state of kelantan planned to skip public prayers and family meals even if it meant not seeing his six children and 18 grandchildrenthis is the first time in my life that ive been unable to go the mosque he told afpbut we must accept it and obey the rules of social distancing to protect our livesmuslimmajority malaysia has extended a strict lockdown until midmay with mosques schools and most businesses closed and police checkpoints set up to catch rulebreakerseven popular ramzan bazaars where muslims buy local delicacies before breaking their fast have been bannedinstead malaysians can only order from socalled ebazaars where people order goods online and have them delivered to their homesin neighbouring indonesia fears of a spike in coronavirus cases when millions travel to hometowns and ancestral villages at the end of ramzan has forced the country of some 260 million to issue a ban on the annual exodusthe government has also announced a clampdown on all air and sea travel across the 17000island archipelagojakarta resident erik febrian said he was relying