Al-Qalam Imam A. Rashied Omar
In this Nasiha, I would like to share my reflections on some of the lessons we, as conscientious Muslims could learn from circumstances and events that unfolded during the past year 2021 at a personal level.
The important lesson from the past year emerges from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic we are currently living through. For the second year in succession the global community was faced with the restrictions, suffering and death wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic. At this time the world community is living through a fourth wave of the pandemic with a virulent strand of the virus dubbed Omicron spreading like wild fire across the globe. Thankfully, the symptoms are milder and consequently the number of people hospitalized and deaths are low relative to the previous three waves of the pandemic.
Out of this more hopeful reality, a number of lessons can be gleaned. Foremost of these is the need for global social solidarity in fighting a pandemic of this magnitude. For example, the delayed availability of Covid-19 vaccines in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa, largely due to stockpiling by rich countries and cost negotiations, led to a devastating second and third waves of the pandemic in Jan-Feb and April-May 2021, when vaccines were already being rolled out in the global North. Moreover, it is palpable that the Covid vaccines provide protection against severe disease and lower levels of transmission of the disease. In this regard, the key lesson here has been that taking the vaccine is not merely an act of self-preservation but an act of social solidarity. As long as we have unvaccinated people anywhere, the virus will always have new opportunities to mutate and keep itself alive.
The challenge going forward is how to gently persuade those who have not yet taken the vaccine to do so promptly and give us the best hope we have of living safely with this virus.
The lesson from this is clear. It is palpable that as a direct consequence of the roll out of the Covid-19 vaccines during the past year, the numbers of infections and death have begun to decline significantly. We are deeply grateful for the protection against severe disease that the Covid vaccines affords us and urge all those who are still hesitant to get vaccinated, as this is the best hope we have of living safely with this virus. Moreover, taking the vaccine is not merely an act of self-preservation but also an act of love and compassion for others. The challenge going forward is how to gently persuade those who have not yet taken the vaccine to do so promptly so as to help us end the Covid-19 pandemic
The Transient Nature of Life
Last but not least, over the past year at a deeply personal level each one of us have been touched by the death and passing of a loved one. The second and third waves of the Covid-19 pandemic at the beginning of 2021 and during April-May were particularly severe. During the first days of January, I was hospitalized for the first time in my life due to the effects of the virus.
In February I lost my beloved mother and shortly thereafter. my uncle. Official South African Statistics indicate that in the first quarter of 2021, South Africa had over 36 500 excess deaths from natural causes, with over 13 000 deaths due to the Coronavirus. We should console each other with the firm belief that our deceased loved ones who have succumbed to the Coronavirus will not only be granted salvation in the hereafter, but will achieve the high status of shuhada’ i.e. martyrs.
First and foremost, the Coronavirus which is a life-threatening and highly infectious disease should remind us about the transient nature of life and move us all to redouble our commitment to strive harder to live with each other in compassion and loving kindness. In this regard the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s everlasting peace be upon him) is reported to have proclaimed: Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler passing by.”
(This hadith was narrated by the companion `Abdullah ibn `Umar and can be found in the collection of Imam Bukhari).
Conclusion
These are some the critical lessons derived from our experiences of the year 2021.
All of these lessons need to be internalised but more importantly actualized during this New Year.
We pray that we will use the lessons of 2021 to take forward the jihad al-nafs i.e. our personal struggles to become more compassionate human beings together with that of social justice with greater vigour in the New Gregorian year 2022.
