Today is the anniversary none of us wanted to see. One whole year since the UK's first COVID-19 lockdown, and here we are still in lockdown, albeit the third iteration. We are also dealing with the third wave of the pandemic.
It feels like it's been this way forever…but at the same time seems to have passed in the blink of an eye.
As of writing, there have sadly been over 126,000 deaths in the UK, and over 2.7 million worldwide. We see a tiny snippet of the people behind these statistics, shared by their loved ones in the news and on social media. On this day, the National Day of Reflection, we pray for all those we have lost, their loved ones left behind and for all those suffering the effects of this pandemic.
When the UK first went into lockdown, nobody could imagine how the situation would unfold. Everything seemed so surreal, who can forget the panic buying in the shops and the endless conspiracy theories that travelled around the world in a flash, and continue to do so. There was so much confusion and fear in the air, and all those things we took for granted suddenly came to a grinding halt-going out to eat, catching up with friends and loved ones, visiting people’s homes, weddings, parties, travel and much much more. Masks, social distancing, and hand sanitisers became the new normal.
At Muslim Women’s Council we decided to work from home just before the Prime Minister made his announcement, and we have kept to this arrangement ever since. The pandemic caused us to adapt our work, starting a helpline for those struggling with COVID symptoms. We provide hot meals, befriending support and signposting to the many other amazing initiatives that are working flat out in the community. We also adapted our weekly Curry Circle sessions, where we feed the homeless and destitute of the community, to a takeout service. We have heard from many people struggling with finances, loneliness, domestic violence, grief and so much more.
The virus is not the only issue people are dealing with. Our surveys demonstrate how people have suffered mentally, physically and emotionally.
We lost our beloved friend and colleague Nuzhat to cancer last month. Nuzhat was such an integral part of MWC and so dear to us all. It has been and continues to be very difficult for us, more so for her family. Please keep them all in your duas.
Being unable to grieve together and be with their loved ones in their last moments has been a particularly heartbreaking aspect for so many.
When visiting the cemetery, I was saddened to see the sheer number of new graves being prepared. Our city of Bradford has been hit very hard by the pandemic. Almost every person you speak to has sadly lost a loved one during this past year, or experienced illness themselves. In our South Asian community, many elders have passed away during this time, from COVID as well as other illnesses.
While this year has been very tough, it has also brought many blessings. Having this time to reflect has made me truly grateful for every positive in my life. We really do have so much to be thankful for. It has been heart-warming to see so many initiatives and individuals doing everything they can to help those in need. Even though last year’s Islamic holy month of Ramadan was not the same as previous years, with the mosques being closed for prayer and no community iftars, it brought many of us closer together as we established a spiritual routine with our families at home. Ramadan is due to begin in mid-April this year inshaAllah, and it looks like it will be the same as last time. Alhamdulillah we can mentally prepare to make the most of it, regardless of the restrictions.
I decided to accept the offer of the vaccine in January this year through my role as a frontline worker, and I await the second dose next month. More and more of my friends and family are also doing so. I know many are still wary of it but I believe it is the best course of action to protect ourselves, and am satisfied with my research.
This past year has seen many silver linings aswell-on a personal front it pushed our family to finally move house, which we had been contemplating for a while. Moving during lockdown was challenging to say the least, but alhamdulillah we managed it. My older son experienced getting GCSE results without sitting exams, alhamdulillah going on to college and remote learning. I do feel for parents with younger children especially, keeping them occupied has been a feat in itself while schools were closed.
I got my head around Zoom, Teams and other video conferencing applications, always chuckling at how many people would forget to turn their mics on/off or get interrupted by the kids, pets, deliveries etc etc! Some Zoom meetings have kept us entertained-two particular examples being the Handforth Parish council meeting, and the American lawyer cat filter video (if you haven’t seen it yet, I promise you’ll cry with laughter!) My social media feed has been full of amazing baking, cooking and creativity which is fantastic to see. Technology has been invaluable in helping us stay in touch with friends and family, although nothing can replace meeting up in person. Like most people, I’ve had good and bad days, sometimes just getting through the day was an achievement in itself. Whatever helps you get through this time, it’s best not to be hard on yourself even if you feel you’re not being productive. I’ve realised it’s not necessary to always ‘do’ something, taking time out to relax and just get through it is perfectly fine. For me, my faith, family and Pakistani dramas have kept me going! Joe Wicks encouraged us to stay active with his exercise videos, and there has been some great online content on every topic imaginable.
As we mark a year of the lockdown, we pray that this virus comes to an end as soon as possible, acknowledging everything and every person we have lost, while looking forward to an easier time when we can heal and learn from these challenges. This year has made many of us realise what is truly important, adjusting our priorities and promising to do better, live better, look after ourselves, those around us and the world we are lucky to inhabit.
But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners. [Quran 8:30]
By Saadia Mushtaq
