It has been a year since the initial closures of Mosques in Singapore. Until this day, I still remember rumours swirling around at 10am. An ARS (Asatizah Recognition Scheme) Certification course I was supposed to attend was abruptly cancelled. Thoughts and sequences of events started to formulate in my mind whilst pictures of officers in sanitisation overalls flooded Whatsapp groups. News embargoes started to spread rampantly by Asar, and as Maghrib approached, I continued my normal routine of teaching at Maarof Mosque.
THE FINAL PRAYER
Upon reaching the Mosque, the possibility of that being the last Maghrib started to emotionally affect me. The Ruku’, Sujud and Tahiyyat felt different. Right after Maghrib, the Chairman of Maarof Mosque stood up to announce the already supposedly embargoed news. Isyak that night would be the last prayer before the Mosques officially close for the next five days.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE WUHAN VIRUS
News and concerns of a virus from Wuhan China had already started months before and preventive measures started being implemented. As a teacher at several mosques, we were already asked to take temperature readings and ensure students practise good personal hygiene before class.
In January, I had travelled overseas and heightened health checks were already prevalent at airports, and it was especially the case for travellers coming from China. At that time, cases in Singapore were very little and predominantly infected the Chinese. Following that, insensitive racial and religious comments started to grow rather rapidly. It finally took the closure of mosques to make the parties, especially Malay Muslims, to realise that the virus was capable of infecting people of other races too.
CODE: CIRCUIT BREAKER
The initial closure of the Mosque was a rather rushed decision. Planned for less than a week, it then extended to the following two weeks. It was a huge call by our religious authorities, especially for Mufti Dr Naziruddin Nasir who had just been handed the position as the Mufti of Singapore a few weeks before.
Making the call to cancel Jumaat Prayers is serious and heavy, and was a decision planned for only more than two weeks. Being the first religion to officially close the doors of the places of worship certainly did not bode well with the sentiment of the masses.
Then came the Circuit Breaker period.
The announcement by the PM Lee Hsien Loong on the 3rd of April 2020 came right before the scheduled reopening of the mosques. Malaysia had started their initial ‘lockdown’ or MCO (Movement Control Order) just weeks before. Rumours started to deepen than when it first started during the initial mosque closures. People started queuing at supermarkets and hoarded unnecessary household items as the spiralling number of cases started to become more worrying.
“Circuit Breaker” was then extended until June 2020. This meant no Hari Raya celebrations and an entirely different Ramadhan experience.
TERAWIH AS ONE FAMILY
Ramadhan was significantly different as compared to the previous ones. People were not allowed to go to mosques for Terawih and Ramadhan Bazaars were cancelled many months before. Restaurants were closed for dine-ins. On the roads, food delivery riders constantly drove down the unusually emptier streets. This was when fathers started to lead Terawih for the first time in their lives, which in turn, allowed for positive and improved familial interaction and bonding.
Then came Aidilfitri. At this point, many started to significantly feel a mental effect after staying at home for a long period of time. Fortunately, an excellent video by MuslimSG that became viral assisted the masses in succinctly explaining the situation. Some of us even became khatibs (a person who delivers a khutbah) for the first time, in the very comfort of our homes. Grandparents learnt to use Zoom, Google Meet and Whatsapp Video Calls. At the end of Syawal, things started to improve and the Government announced on the measures to slowly reopen phase by phase.
ELECTIONS & AIDILADHA
The general elections were held in Singapore on Friday, 10th of July 2020. The parliament was dissolved and a general election was called by President Halimah Yacob on 23rd of June. This was the first major event executed by the government post Circuit Breaker period.
On the 26th of June, mosques gradually reopened for congregational prayers and Friday prayers. One must book a slot to gain entry before getting a chance to pray.
Aidiladha then came at the end of July. Selected mosques held Eid prayers with a controlled number of congregants. This was a tinge of hope and a major blessing for the Malay/Muslim in an already turbulent year.
REOPENING OF MOSQUES: OF SCEPTICISM & ABUSE
Safe distancing measures were implemented in the reopening of Mosques and booking of slots was strictly regulated. Some tried their luck by coming to the mosque without advanced booking. When rejected, they would unapologetically abuse the staff manning the counters. Meanwhile, others who stayed at home started to question the permissibility of socially distanced congregational prayers.
With the advice from the Fatwa Council, MUIS finally announced the availability of 3 different slots for Jumaat Prayers especially at Mosques where the attendance quota is fit for a higher number of congregants. Even with such carefully planned decisions, there were those who ridiculed the announcement. Words such as calling the idea a “bid’ah” (invention/innovation in the religion) or questioning the credibility of our own Mufti with scandalous words flooded social media. Asatizah and local preachers would be pushed to go against the official decision and those who went against such will would have their voices amplified.
RESPECTING THE LEARNED
Allah SWT says in the Quran:
وَمَآ اَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ اِلَّا رِجَالًا نُّوْحِيْٓ اِلَيْهِمْ فَاسْـَٔلُوْٓا اَهْلَ الذِّكْرِ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَۙ
Translation: “We did not send messengers before you O Prophet except mere men inspired by Us. If you polytheists do not know this already, then ask those who have knowledge of the Scriptures.” (Surah An-Nahl Verse 43)
It is clearly stated by Allah SWT in the Quran to respect and listen to the learned ones. They are not just limited to religious scholars, but extends to those who are deemed as specialists such as Doctors, Epidemiologists and Pharmacists.
COVID-19 greatly affected everyone. Unfortunately, the gravity of the situation was enhanced with the spread of fake news that incited hatred, racist remarks and unreasonable questioning. Such comments were mostly biased and baseless, and ignored the respect of thorough measures placed to control the spread of the virus.
Allah Says in Surah An-Nisa Verse 83:
وَإِذَا جَاءهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِّنَ الأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِ وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ وَإِلَى أُوْلِي الأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ وَلَوْلاَ فَضْلُ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لاَتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً
“Whoever intercedes (recommends, promotes, encourages) well in a good cause shall have the reward there from; but he who intercedes (recommends, promotes, encourages) with a bad intercession shall have the like thereof, for Allah oversees all things.”
There have been instances that I have witnessed unsubstantiated information shared by senior citizens based on rumours. I have even known people who had unnecessarily started a chain of Whatsapp messages, on the presumption that it helps to make people ponder upon the ‘bigger picture’, when in actual fact, he himself is creating absurd statements. When advised, a tirade of hate messages followed suit. The sad part of this is that other senior citizens start to believe such information and forwarded it to other people, inciting unwanted fear and conspiracies. This goes against the teachings of The Prophet SAW:
لاَ يَحلُّ لِمسلمٍ أن يُرَوِّع مُسلمًا
“It is not lawful for a Muslim that he frightens a Muslim” (Narrated by Abu Daud 5004)
In Singapore, we are lucky to have our own talented range of Muslim Scientists working very hard to help the government fight COVID-19. Having them to also explain to Asatizah has helped in conveying the correct explanation to the masses. Not forgetting the other front liners, regardless of their religion, race or nationality, who sacrificed their time and lives to collectively help the nation.
“Words such as calling the idea as “bid’ah” (invention in the religion) or questioning the credibility of our own Mufti with scandalous words flooded social media.” – Ahmad Mundzir
VICTIM BLAMING?
FANZURUU managed to interview a former COVID-19 positive patient. He shared his experiences being a positive patient as well as other experiences that deeply affected him. We managed to uncover how his family was ostracised (some had even kicked them out of certain Whatsapp groups). Upon his discharge from the hospital, he was referred to as his case number several times. Albeit being meant as a joke, it undoubtedly affected him mentally.
COVID-19 can hit anyone, even if we strictly adhere to the measures. We must treat former positive patients how we treat people who suffer from Flu and Fever. The former patients did not choose to be infected, what more infecting others. A mature society should let them move on from a difficult period of their lives, and assist them in doing so by empathising with them.
For the rest of us who are saved from the infection of the virus, we should always be thankful to Him, and convey our gratitude for His mercy. Allah SWT says in the Quran:
وَلَـنَبۡلُوَنَّكُمۡ بِشَىۡءٍ مِّنَ الۡخَـوۡفِ وَالۡجُـوۡعِ وَنَقۡصٍ مِّنَ الۡاَمۡوَالِ وَالۡاَنۡفُسِ وَالثَّمَرٰتِؕ وَبَشِّرِ الصّٰبِرِيۡنَۙ * الَّذِيۡنَ اِذَآ اَصَابَتۡهُمۡ مُّصِيۡبَةٌ ۙ قَالُوۡٓا اِنَّا لِلّٰهِ وَاِنَّـآ اِلَيۡهِ رٰجِعُوۡنَؕ
We shall certainly test you by afflicting you with fear, hunger, loss of properties and lives and fruits. Give glad tidings, then, to those who remain patient; * those who when any affliction smites them, they say: “Verily, we belong to Allah, and it is to Him that we are destined to return.” (Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 156 -157)
FORGIVENESS & REPENTANCE
We are about to welcome the Month of Ramadhan in a few weeks. Last Ramadhan, we were unable to pray Terawih at our beloved Mosques. The impending Ramadhan routines and measures will be announced in a few weeks by MUIS. Let us pray for the chance to spend our month and having bits of our Ibadah in our Mosques.
If we do not manage to get slots or opportunities of prayers in the Mosques, we still always have our homes to illuminate the spirit of Ramadhan in worship and closeness to Him. Most importantly, let us all seek forgiveness and ask for repentance from Allah SWT. This is as mentioned in the Quran:
“Surely Allah loves those who always turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves.”
Al-Baqarah:222
Thank you for joining FANZURUU in our 3 months-long reflection of 2020. We really appreciate and hope that you have benefited from the works of our writers and interviews. We hope that you stick around and continuously support our content.
