Bathurst's Muslims community celebrating Ramadan differently in 2020

This year, it's completely different.

Due to coronavirus regulations, fellow believers are unable to meet together, rather they have break their fast from home with their families or alone.

Muslims in Bathurst have been unable to meet together at the mosque since March, after coronavirus regulations prevented mass indoor gatherings.

Ashad Kabir, who works up at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst, said the changes have dramatically affected how the local Muslim community meets.

"Given the regulations on social distancing, everyone is praying on their own at home," he said.

"We don't have any cultural gatherings or celebrating as we break the fast."

With those unfamiliar with Ramadan, Mr Kabir explained that the month long festival - which is based on the lunar cycles (Ramadan in 2020 will run from April 23 to May 23) - sees Muslims all around the world fast from dawn to dusk.

"We don't eat from sunrise to sunset and we don't drink water," he said.

"The motivation actually comes an desire to enhance our spirituality in terms of concentration and devotion to Allah. We also want to remove the ill-feelings we have towards others.

"Another social motivation is that you feel what it's like when people are poor and don't have anything to eat. It motivates to have those types of feeling and observe that and encourage to spare money for the poor money.

"A thing that people do during Ramadan is charity. One of the obligations is to donate 2.5 per cent of your wealth, which is what we call Zakar."

Ramadan will come to an end on Saturday, May 23, with Eid al-Fitr, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of the month-long Islamic holy month.