Life after COVID-19

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was a season of gatherings, it was a season of
isolation. It was the spring of miseries, it was the autumn of hopes. It was a year of Modernization with
thousands of troops guarding the false castles of power. Still, corpses were taken out each day finding a
land to be buried. Nobody knows who died first and did they get a chance to say goodbyes to their loved
ones. We lost them in a quantity where we even lost the count. Pity, the power, the status, the wealth,
the gold that failed miserably to save their owners who spent their whole lives collecting them.

Indeed, as the Quran says " It's the ups and downs of times that we turn among people". The worldly
princes lost the battles of their lives on isolation beds, cureless and helpless. Only that much we owe our
lives and rest belongs to the Almighty, the Creator. The outbreak of COVID-19 shattered the whole world
to remind us once again that there is no power but Him. We hold no control but only Him.

More than 2 million people become the prey of this cruel epidemic and thousands of people are
infected by the virus. Beside, precious human lives, the economy of the atomic world is all shattered,
business's closed, schools shut, mosques are allowing few people to enter. As if it were not enough for
the virus. The Holy House of Almighty goes under a severe lockdown where nobody was allowed to
reside except poor birds. Shops were ordered to be opened for limited time. From riches to poor,
merchants to baggers, doctors to patients, dusk till dawn all got effected by the lockdown, a wise step
taken to prevent the outbreak of the virus collapsed everything. All planning’s, events, gatherings,
weddings were postponed. And to add fuel to fire everyone was pushed in a self- isolation in their
houses all alone just locked like a prisoner of time.

The horror of holding onto dear life has impacted the humans from head to toe. In terms of
psychological, emotional, moral, theological and practical bents. All the feelings, thoughts, spirits are
tensed, all these now preside over monetary attainments since the virus has rendered humanity entirely
stateless and restless. The competition among class, colour, creed, race, sect, religion, nationally and
social standing and financial statures are now irrelevant and no more than comedy of errors.

In these times when everything is falling apart, one tends to look for answers to the ultimate question:
why did this virus came into existence? Why did we wait too long to connect with God? We should we
recite to atone? How we become that rebellious to cross all the limits? In this period of havoc, medical
sciences and religion is to the rescue. On the one hand, medical teams are at frontlines sacrificing their
lives to make their nation stand up high and the urge to discover the remedy for this disaster is keeping
them awake. On the other hand there is refuge in religion. Through faith we seek reprieve and through
science, solace.

Thinking in the psychological and theological sense, the fear of being infected or losing one's life causes
acute stress, anxiety, exhaustion and detachment from others is just pushing to death. These effects
could be long-lasting and continue into post-corona world. During this human mind desires comfort and
hopes for miracles. For this cause, the 10 pm azan led by Maulana Tariq Jamil handouts given to the
needy or the fight to get inside mosques during lockdowns are all countermeasures as humanity
becomes aware that this time, we have crosses the limits set by Almighty. The heightened sense of
aristocracy, injustice to humankind, accumulation of wealth are all examples of what has led to where
we are standing today. What direction would our moral and religious compasses point post-corona?

But, there is a hope that's waiting for us in the dark. This Covid- catastrophe might seem a curse but
everything happens for a reason. As the harmony and unity of world is at it's peak these days. Medical
aids have been on their ways to different countries and everyone is feeling the pain we all are sharing.
No matter how far apart our hearts are beating in a same harmony. The time we all are calling
quarantine & self-Isolation is an isolation to look upon what we are carrying with us? It's a great time to
ask for forgiveness and right path.

Not every time a khizer comes to rescue with the water-of-life. The secret of the water of lies in love
that we bear in our hearts. This time we have to be someone's khizer by putting Band-Aid on their
wounds. Only this way we can lead to the path of righteous. It will be a blessing in disguise if we'll learn
through what we are going through. The unity, empathy and passion to be humane is all the need of an
hour that we are holding now.

I can see a millennium where the light of peace would outbreak. Life after this chaos would be much
more easier and simple for us. The negligence that we had in past, the hatred the we planted, the ego
we fed, the love we caged will not be rotten again. We'd already suffer the pain of our doings.

When the world will celebrate it's victory,

When the sun will be welcomed again
When the moon will be the king again
When oldies will resume their stories
When kids will chase one another
For a piece of candy
when people will be back on the streets again,
when the time & we be allies again,
When the town will see feasts again
When the happiness will break the silence
when tongue will speak of truth
When Mosques will be open-wide
When prayers will not be delayed again
When wedding will be held again
When souls be at ease again
When nightingales will sing &
When lovers will meet again
When poets will write rhymes once again
When the stars will hang on the sky
When everyone will feel alive once again
When people will not resist anyone again
When we will stand on our balconies
When we will feel the warmth of hugs
When we will wipe the tears again
When life will infuse life in it again
Until next time
When we will enter in a different
Yet more caring, loving and loyal world again
I can see a millennium, If God permits
We will be happier once again!!