Four tips to safeguard your Moral and Spiritual health during the lockdown:
The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly shown how vulnerable our world is, Gorbachev the former president of the Soviet Union said, “we have once again seen how fragile our world is and how great is the danger of sliding into chaos… all countries face this common threat and no country can cope with it alone”. Most world leaders have spoken words to this effect, and this is adding to the growing fear in the public of the severity of the pandemic. However, despite so much economic loss, deprivation of our identity and work, we humans are ingenious and capable of coping with difficulties. This is helped by the fact we are optimistic creatures.
Here I venture to present four tips on developing resilience and foresight to believe there is light at the end of the tunnel. Since the way we respond to adversity shapes our mood and the journey. The blessed month of Ramadhan is a month of Spiritual and Moral growth, so what I present falls within the goals of this blessed season.
1. Be mindful
Engage yourself in daily meditation and prayer. An amazing way of calming your nerves and gaining control over emotions, particularly negative anxiety and stress. The Majestic Quran teaches the faithful “Seek help and strength through prayer and patience” (Baqarah: 153).
2. Exercise patience
This is time to remain calm and composed and refuse to bow to inner urges of complaints, badmouthing the system and those around us, it’s time to show that I am in control of my affairs. Become an island of resilience and the tower of patience. Undoubtedly, we are passing through the eye of a hurricane that is devastating our economy and possibly our loved ones. Don’t be frustrated with yourself and feel sad and stressed, remember it’s hard for everyone. Narrated by Anas The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The real patience is at the first stroke of a calamity” (Bukhari).
3. Care for others
The 2-metre social distancing rule is physical distancing, however since the lockdown we’ve become socially more connected through technology. So, here is an opportunity to show care and kindness towards others through generosity for those who are more needy. The self-sacrifices of the heroes of the NHS are exemplary for us. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us, “None of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself” (Bukhari).
4. Live simply and frugally
Extravagance was the hallmark of our society before the COVID- 19 pandemic, we loved to live like Hollywood celebrities; globetrotting, two holidays abroad every year, designer clothes at click of a button, eating out few times a week. Now, this is the time to shed these extravagant habits and to learn to live simply. This will help both our health and mother earth, as we more become environmentally friendly. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Indeed, simple living is part of faith and simple living is part of faith” (Abi Dawud).
This lockdown is teaching us a lot, especially to recognise what is vanity and how we should avoid it. This bloated desire to be praised for our looks, clothes, career, rank, the car we drive and the house we live in. Well, the lockdown has taught us what’s important and what’s hubris, the false sense of pride.
