Voice of British Muslim Women

Nida Mansoor, London

As I stared out of the window overlooking the high street, sipping my coffee, a common gesture between a professional looking gentleman and lady who were observing social distance, caught my introspective eye. The gentleman incautiously reached out his hand to the lady upon which she raised her brows and politely declined reminding him of her right to refrain from physical touch; the new unquestionable social etiquette and norm. In retrospect, just a few months ago it would have been considered impolite and unmannered to refuse a handshake. As a Muslim professional woman I had often been the receiver of such frowns for maintaining my social and physical distance.

I took a pause to reflect how the pandemic has changed us and the lessons we have learnt.

2020 has been an unforgettable year of great things but for the most part grossly overcast by crisis and affliction. The blazing bush fires in Australia had not but settled when the fuming heat of anger rose up against the inhumane treatment of George Floyd, spreading across the world as a unified voice, demanding rights, love and respect for all humanity, the echoes felt in the media, on the streets, at work, in homes, ministries and even Palaces.

Amidst all this, Brexit lingered in the air, alongside a silent deadly virus which slowly infiltrated, the first alarm of which was snoozed irresponsibly so the virus ran rampant faster than any fire, raising the temperatures and exasperating its victims with its virulent fumes. Unstoppable, it reached our doorsteps, locking us up in our own homes.

A pandemic surfaced and the World Health Organisation named it as COVID-19; in vogue on every channel, discussion and debate was this new terrorist inciting fear and one which was actually very real and serious. Countries, economies, finances, healthcare, trade, supermarket suppliers, education, hospitality, travel, and faith; all were tested by its expansion and its infectious waves tainted and masked the freshness of spring air. The next 7 months were a blur; lessons for humanity couldn’t be clearer. 

It was a force unifying human kind who began extending compassion and kindness to one another. It made us realise our social responsibility and how we could have positive and negative effects on each other. 

‘LOVE FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE’ a much-needed lesson and an important adjuvant to a vaccine for us to take into the New Year. For now, we look towards the horizon with faith, a glimmer of hope for a happier, remedied and reformed 2021. 

With this I settled my coffee beside the laptop on my desk and logged on remotely to work.