The holy month of Ramadaan is sadly leaving us and we are thankful this year more than ever for the blessings it has given us.
We still find ourselves in the middle of a pandemic, but I believe that it was a much more improved environment for fasting and spiritual empowerment than last year because the masjids were open for the entire month.
Although they were limited to half the capacity, they were well managed and many mosques opted for two session of Jumu’ah and two sessions of Taraweeg salaah even to accommodate the community so that everyone who wanted to attend could have an opportunity to do so.
This was by far a step closer to reality in comparison to last year and this fact alone shows us that we have almost survived the pandemic and that there is hope that life will return to normal once the virus has left us.
It also speaks volumes about our spiritual leader who opted to make sabr (patience) last Ramadaan and this year we were blessed by how much control they showed with regards to Coronavirus protocol at mosques.
You bring your own musallah (salaah mat), keep your social distance and nobody is allowed into the mosque without a mask.
The guys in charge of this at all mosques deserve much praise and showed that we are able to live with this virus and still do our necessary prayer inside a place of worship.
I remember last year how sad yet beautiful it was when everyone had to come outside their homes and do the takbeer on Labarang morning because we could not go to mosque.
Today I understand and see that the Almighty was testing our tolerance and patience.
The reward for the sabr we made last year is that this year we will be inside a masjid with our brothers performing Eid salaah and making takbeer together.
The Almighty loves to test us and I am proud, as a Cape Malay Muslim, to say that we have made our sacrifice in this pandemic and our reward will be on Eid when we can all see our families again, share a meal and stories around a table because alghamdulillah, we are still on Level 1 of lockdown.
This is so normal, something we have done for generations and I don’t want us to take it as a normal thing.
I want us to realise what a blessing we have in our hands this Labarang day and I pray that your Eid day is a blessed one.
It is a bit sad what is happening in Palestine and it hurts to think that it’s happening at this time, a few days before Eid, but Allah knows best and I am sure that all those people who are being oppressed and attacked understand that this is the Almighty's test and they are fully aware of it and they know that, in the end, good will triumph over evil.
We can only make du’ah for them that the Almighty will also grant them a blessed Eid, and that the world starts to stand with them to put an end to the terror they are faced with daily.
The part that gets me down is why this always happens during Ramadaan, then I realise that it’s happening at a time when they are spiritually at their strongest.
With that said, Eid Mubarak to all of you. Enjoy it, make it memorable but remember there is still a virus out there so stay safe, wear a mask, keep your distance.
Say slamat with an elbow, no need to soengroet. With just a little bit more sabr, we will have a normal Ramadaan come next year inshallah ameen.