Positivity can do wonders. It can change a gloomy, rainy day into a shower of mercy. It can transform a painful disease into a means of expiating sins. It can even make a complete loss look like a gain. It can lift our spirits to soar among the birds from where everything down below seems part of a bigger picture, a well laid out plan.
We really need positivity these days, not just to strengthen our immune system, but to strengthen our belief and reliance on Allah (Subhanahu wa Ta’ala). There is a constant bombardment of disturbing news and images on social media and we are constantly watching the number of casualties growing. Schools are closed until further notice, husbands are working from home and in many countries, curfews and lockdowns are in effect. We never witnessed such a phenomenon before in our generation. Walking outdoors in sunlight and fresh air seems like a distant dream. The house has become our entire world, our sanctuary. As no immediate end appears in sight, optimism is bound to plummet.
In these extraordinary times, we need to pull together on our collective strength as an Ummah. We need to draw on those reserves of belief and patience that the Quran and Sunnah have taught us for so long. Whatever your theory about the virus is, the fact is that we are at home with our families to wait this out. We believe that every happening in our life is a test from Allah and He is watching how we fare in this test.
We need positivity and we need to spread it around us, distribute it freely in all our conversations. We need it as much as we need air, in order to lift the human spirit.
Yes, we can’t go out because malls, restaurants and parks are closed, but many are relishing the peace it has brought to our hurried lives, the stillness it has brought to our hearts. Instead of an endless round of eating out, socializing and entertainment, families are once again playing board games, having meaningful conversations and enjoying home cooked meals with their families. There is no mad rush to do school work or make school lunches, no long office hours away from home, and no constant shopping or coffee mornings.
Yes, there may be a shortage of something or the other if things get really bad but that has made us think of all the years we took every blessing for granted. It has made us realize the suffering of those who could never afford to eat meat everyday or have fresh milk and eggs whenever they willed.
Yes the Masajid have been closed temporarily. The hearts are heavy and the tears come easily every time the call for prayer reaches our ears. We can continue to argue about its legality or we can establish prayer in our homes like never before. We have this chance to pray as a family that many never had before. As Muslim households establish Salah in their homes, one can feel this Barakah descending when the family prays together. I like to think that every Muslim home has become a Masjid in itself; that instead of a few Masajid, every household has become a house of Allah’s remembrance.
Now, as Ramadan approaches, the yearning for Masajid and Taraweeh will increase manifold. A Ramadan without Masajid, without Taraweeh is unimaginable to Muslims. Especially for someone living in Saudia, where Umrah in Ramadan and the last Ashra in the Haram would be the highlight of the year, it would all but break our hearts. But, if we believe in Qadr, we know this is Allah’s plan and His plan is based on His Infinite wisdom. It was part of Allah’s plan that the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) and hundreds of his companions came all the way from Madina to Makkah in Ihram to perform Umrah, but were turned back that year without fulfilling their intention.
It may be that this Ramadan spent in quiet isolation will bring us moments of reflection and introspection that were lost in communal worship. The excitement and thrill of Taraweeh would be replaced by calm, solitary worship with our families. The broken hearts and teary eyes will have nowhere to turn to but Allah. The tears we shed in loneliness will be dearer to our Lord than those shed before others. The closed doors of the Masajid will remind us daily to repent and beseech Allah to forgive us, to open the doors of His mercy, and to give us another chance to worship him in His beloved houses once again. The empty Mutaf around the Kaaba will remind us of the approaching Qiyamah before which the Kaaba will be destroyed and the Quran lifted. Hearts hardened by years of rebellion may be softened by these sights, they may turn to their Creator once more and then this loss will become a gain.
As the death toll in many countries continues rising at an alarming rate, we mourn daily for the loss of precious human life. But, how many of us mourn for these souls leaving this earthly life without knowing their Creator, without worshipping Him? The agony and torment of this world, no matter how severe, is temporary and minute compared to the everlasting torment of the Hereafter. As humans shy away from touching loved ones for fear of contracting a virus, as humans suffer alone in hospitals and die alone amongst strangers I can’t help but think of the scenario described in the Quran where loved ones will flee from each other when faced by the torment of the Hereafter. I can’t help but think of the Quran reminding us that we came alone into this world and we will leave it alone and alone we must face our Lord. The delusion of human dependence has finally left us.
Positivity does not mean that we lose touch with reality or that we are not allowed to feel sad. Positivity means that in the worst of situations, we can still manage to look at our blessings and know that all is not lost. Positivity means that we can look beyond the present catastrophe to an eternal world of everlasting joy and for that end, we are able to endure the suffering with patience. Positivity means that we know from the core of our being that our Creator, Who fashioned us and nourished us in the darkness of our mother’s wombs, where no human hand could feed or protect us, will not abandon us in our time of need.
Be positive, my brothers and sisters in Islam. Allah will protect us and provide for us the way He provided water, food and shelter for the woman who was left in isolation with her infant in the barren desert of Makkah. We just need to try our very best and put our trust in Him Alone.
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