Everything is Different, but Nothing Has Changed

04-مايو-2020

By Hassan Amin Jarrar, Chief Executive Officer of Bahrain Islamic Bank

As it comes each year, the Holy month of Ramadan is upon us, and with it comes a fast from dawn-to-dusk that lasts 30 days. Although fasting comes more easily to some than to others – especially those with daily vices such as a morning cup of coffee – what eases this hardship are the moments shared with others.

Whether it is sitting around the television to hear the midfa’ heralding sunset, or taking the first bite of Iftar surrounded by loved ones and family members, or joining together in prayer shoulder-to-shoulder at a mosque, there is undeniable solace in this shared collective experience, a reprieve that is deeply rooted in tangible and increased connection.

Collectively, we find a new routine into which we all transition. Houses are adorned with fairy lights and decorative lanterns, we enjoy our late-night outings with colleagues, friends and family members enjoying game nights and gatherings that last well into the night, if not until the early hours of the morning. We ready our calendars to try and squeeze in Ghabga invitations, and with every occasion there’s a sense of fortifying togetherness bolstered by shared laughter and a light-hearted spirit of joy.

This year, with the world at large facing the global COVID-19 pandemic, beyond questioning our sense of certainty on what lies ahead, it has erased that gift of togetherness that we hold so dearly.

I myself, living with my mother and loved ones, am quarantined at home, and fasting isolated from the rest of the world. Probably since the first time I practiced fasting as a child, this is likely the strangest Ramadan I have experienced until now. It has left me with a sense of sadness, a heaviness and a sense of nostalgia for Iftars past. Even the transcendent joy that comes with eating after a day of fasting is somewhat dampened.

And yet, I still find comfort in knowing that in warmly-lit homes across the world, we can find solace in the rituals we have always known - Ajwa dates, golden-fried samboosas, traditional dishes of meat, spicy curries, heavy soups and bejewelled rice, that warm our souls. And then, there is further solace in returning to our spirituality.

Oddly enough, although it has taken me a while to understand, the irony is that in light of COVID-19, my sense of spirituality and gratitude has been invoked. The fact is, that with the world working from home, practicing preventative health measures and self-isolation, we are still facing a new uncertainty together – tackling the turmoil of social distancing, while seeking to safeguard our mental and physical wellbeing. What has exploded in the corporate world more than Webinars, virtual meetings, and guidance on working productively from home, is guidance on self-care.

Similar to the response to any crisis, as humans we go through stages. With the COVID-19 outbreak, it affected us physically, practicing increased handwashing, social distancing and testing. The second phase is mentally, managing the stress caused by the fake news and by the fear of uncertainty, and finally, spiritually.

Against all odds, although we may be apart, we are still facing this together as a collective. If ever there was a time where, as humanity around the world, we all share a sentiment - a sense of weariness of the heart, a sinking feeling of apathy and sensation of existential dread - it is now.

Let us reconnect with our inner selves, check in on friends and family with facetime calls, seek comfort in the taste of food after a long day of fasting. Let us all take comfort in knowing that this too shall pass. Let us practice appreciation, renew our sense of spirituality and remember what Ramadan is really all about – teaching us to have gratitude in the face of hardship, and be thankful for what we have.

May you all stay safe and healthy this Ramadan.