Abdullah Ghazi Alsharari
The COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world, bringing with it not only illness and loss, but also a deep division in belief and understanding. Some dismissed it as a political tool, others as a commercial opportunity benefiting powerful interests, while many questioned its reality altogether. Even as governments took unprecedented measures to protect their citizens, doubt persisted: doubt in science, in precaution, and sometimes even in the simple act of safeguarding one another. In moments like these, trust becomes fragile. Yet faith, responsibility, and care for human life need not stand in opposition to one another. Trust in God, alongside mindful action to protect ourselves and others, is essential in times of widespread crisis. For moments like these–and for future pandemics, God forbid–we are reminded of the following lines:
In your shadow, you may
understand, by the way
you are not, but a clay
a pandemic, won’t play
sanitize, or sway
to the end, not away
in your home, a holiday
after all, make a call
Either pray, or go astray