91热爆

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Dr Myriam Fran莽ois, journalist and research associate at the Centre of Islamic Studies, SOAS University of London.

Good morning.

As lockdown eases and many of us contemplate the new reality before us, the question of how we care for one another in the long term becomes ever more salient. What happens when the initial swell of communal support dampens, when the leeway gives way to 鈥榤y way鈥� and as the economic realities hit, how do we foster solidarity?

As a Muslim, the concept of communal life is integral to my faith 鈥� in Islam, many of the precepts we seek to abide by aren鈥檛 simply for our own benefit, but exist to improve the wellbeing of the whole.

In one saying, the Prophet, peace be upon him, says: 鈥淲hat actions are most excellent? To gladden the heart of human beings, to feed the hungry, to help the afflicted, to lighten the sorrow of the sorrowful, and to remove the sufferings of the injured.鈥�

I鈥檝e been reflecting on this particular saying as the news offers little relief from the multifaceted strain Covid has placed on all of our lives, albeit differently. The economic recovery is slower than many had hoped after the biggest economic slump in 300 years 鈥� the virus hasn鈥檛 disappeared and yet some want to try and act like it has, hoping no doubt at some level to connect back with a normalcy which now feels so distant. And for many of us lucky enough to still have jobs, we are going back to a very different workplace. But in strained times, our commitment to one another becomes more important than ever. As inequalities deepen, we must all undertake our bit to 鈥渓ighten the sorrow of the sorrowful鈥�.

May we all have the strength to resist fear and in dark times, open our hearts to those in need. Amin.