Changing Times: Corona Virus

Assalam alaikam,

I hope brothers and sisters are doing well and keeping healthy wherever you are insh’Allah. I haven’t written in a little while and in that little while, the whole world seems to have changed with the corona virus epidemic and all that I has brought with us. We have been in lock down here in the UK for coming up to four weeks now and we are all mainly housebound. The kids are off school, and I am working long hours from home.

We all seemed to catch a mild form of the virus very early on, about four weeks ago, it was unpleasant and uncomfortable and lasted about 12-14 days, but we were careful to stay away from anyone else and the sickness passed and we are all well alhamdulillah.

So as the days go on we are falling into our routines.  My older children have turned semi-nocturnal and sleep way too late. The little ones wake up early and we try to play school. I have told the older children that they need to try and have routine and a purpose for each day, or they will start to feel very down very quickly.

I am probably the one with the firmest routine, with my day schedules around working hours, meals and the children’s schooling. I have days when I get overwhelmed because the office has scheduled meetings from midday to 4pm and I need to get the children lunch.

I am grateful to be working and my husband is still doing deliveries, so we have an income.  I know there are so many around me who will start to feel the financial pain of being stuck at home as the weeks go on.  I am grateful that my work is part of the Covid19 response trying to work with the voluntary sector and share information.

I am grateful that my parents and siblings have kept well, everyone I know has lost someone or knows someone who has lost a family member. I think it will take a long time for us to get over the emotional and psychological pain of this situation, let alone the financial and I believe that we will not return to the world s it was before. At times like this I am grateful for my faith and the reassurances and strength it gives me.

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient” ~ Quran 2:155

So verily with every difficulty there is relief. Verily with every difficulty there is relief. ~ Quran 94:5-6

Suhaib al-Rūmī reported that the Messenger of Allāh ṣallallāhu 'alayhi wa sallam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:“How wonderful is the situation of a believer! there is good for him in everything and this applies only to a believer. If prosperity befalls him and he expresses gratitude to Allāh, then it will be for his good; and if adversity befalls him and he endures it patiently, it will also be for his good.” (Sahih Muslim 2999)

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