Socially-distant fasting: information practices of young muslims during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to reimagine how they engage in spiritual and religious activities. This paper presents an analysis of the information practices of young Muslims during Ramadan, with a focus on their social, spiritual and COVID-related needs and strategies. Method. Our qualitative approach entailed semi-structured interviews with 22 self-identified Muslims from across the Muslim spectrum. They were asked about their experiences with completing Ramadan under pandemic, including the nature of information accessed and shared as part of the fasting rituals. Analysis. Interviews were transcribed, and open coding was used to categorize the data into themes. The thematic analysis was conducted through an iterative process. Results. Our findings pointed to the differing affective states of the young Muslims who observed the fast under COVID. Participants also hinted at the loss of communal practices and rituals and the emergence of new habits and coping strategies (many informational in nature). Social and emotional support were particularly critical to overcoming the challenges. Conclusions. This study contributes to a better understanding of the intersection between information activities and spiritual/ religious practices. The findings also have theoretical and practical implications for the role of information and technology in times of crisis.