Bathing in the almost euphoric sentiments of the Eid observance, must offer some recognition of the absolute notions of salvation and relief must positively impact upon those who are under pressure, under stress, under threat, under sufferance, of any kind. I guess we have all been there in some way, but how good must it feel?
With Ramadhan being an opportunity to reflect upon the situations of those less fortunate than ourselves. It is an opportunity for religious or social enlightenment. A chance to grow closer together as a family, community, society, nation, or faith. It is also, yet another chance for believers, being as fragile and wanton as we all sometimes are, to grow even closer to Allah. Most strenuously though, for those of the faith, it is recognition that they are never alone, and that a quarter of the world’s population, or nearly two billion other Muslims, share their five pillars of obligation.
Actress Judy Garland may well have been referring to the muted exuberance, the sentiments of Ramadhan, Eid and of course the Almighty, when she once said, “For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.” That is so incredibly beautiful in any context but offered as a recognition of the redemptive nature of Ramadhan, and the requital of the blessed Eid, it is momentous.
Another context for people who need salvation at this time is the untold misery being suffered, not only by the Ukraine and its people, but also the forces of the Russian behemoth. The world mourns the loss of thousands of Ukrainian citizens, and rightly so, as so many lives have been lost, families ripped asunder, homes destroyed, futures and prospects immeasurably harmed. Yet, being of faith, we must also mourn the young men of the Russian military who probably thought their show of force would present a fait accompli. They too have families...
Demonstrating their sensitivity, many ordinary people have shared on social media recently their apprehension for those fleeing in search of sanctuary, concerned for the families, particularly the elderly and children, who will be traumatised forever. Charles Darwin, foreshadowing the most visceral nature of conflict and redemption, in his unique way, wrote, “Struggle is the father of all things. It is not by the principles of humanity that man lives, or preserves himself above animals, but only by means of that most brutal struggle.”
The Chinese too, are being made to suffer, maybe for their avoidance of culpability in the matter of the global pandemic? But in any sense, hundreds of thousands of the citizens of Shanghai are amidst a lockdown of epic proportion, locked into their apartment homes without warning as the authorities battle to contain the latest version of the pandemic scourge. Harrowing descriptions are emerging.
However, as in the other situations, there is relief, there is redemption, and my source has pointed to a camaraderie, a level of community and social concern, in most apartment blocks, for centralisation of food supplies, sharing and rationing, particularly to protect those most vulnerable, again, the elderly, the infirm and children. China’s elderly, sustained by Confucianist respect for elders, long-standing friendships, and a reliance on their offspring to provide meaningful, late in life care, have not faced such trauma before, and with the losses from the pandemic, their stress levels are genuine.
Three very different situations, religious, political and societal, and three very different environments all point to the vastly disparate challenges facing us, and our ilk. We are all one, one’s loss is all our loss. Whether reflecting on Ramadhan, the Ukraine or Shanghai, we must all be thankful that but for your faith, beliefs and an intensely compassionate God’s sweet grace, and a strong government, there go we.
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