Naima B. Robert – Stay in Your Homes What Does Self Isolation Mean For Us
AI: Summary ©
The speakers emphasize the importance of limiting social distancing and creating virtual coffee mornings to reconnect with oneself, children, and their spouse. They encourage parents to share their experiences and learn from others to improve their practices. The principles of social distancing and isolation are discussed as temporary shutdowns, but are important for personal growth and social friendships. The speakers encourage parents to share their experiences and learn from others to improve their practices.
AI: Summary ©
Smilla Salam alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu this is
your sister Nyima be Robert here in my series in response to the
Coronavirus situation. So today I'm going to be speaking to you
about social distancing, what that means for Muslims and why we need
to be more serious about it. So as you guys know, the Coronavirus is
being spread throughout the world. By contact, I don't have to give
you all the medical details. We all know about you know, washing
our hands and about you know, not putting ourselves in situations
where we can be exposed to the virus because it does last for
about eight to nine days I believe. And so I'm not going to
go into all the medical side of things. What I am going to say is,
I'm going to share with you some information that has been shared
by quite a few Imams and doctors in the community about Muslims
susceptibility to Coronavirus in particular due to our way of life.
These things include the fact that we often have intergenerational
living. So we have elderly people who live with us. And as we know,
elderly people are at risk, higher risk of mortality from the
Coronavirus. So that is an area that we need to be really mindful
of. Also, we were going to the masjid congregating in the masjid,
we congregate in people's homes, we have gatherings, we have a very
social community. And this is something that we're used to, we
are being asked by the scholars and the doctors in the community
to stop doing that. And as you know, many mosques have actually
closed. And on the one hand, this is something of course that hurts
our hearts. But on the other hand, it's better to tie your camel and
to be safe than sorry. So with regards to the whole wudu, and
ablutions and you know, sharing of, you know, slippers in the
masjid and praying on the carpet and all of that, that is no longer
a problem right now. Because people are not going to the
masjid. However, however, people may still be shaking hands,
sisters, you still may be hugging your friends, you still may be
inviting sisters round to your house, you still may be having
sleepovers, you still may be having these gatherings and you
know and introducing these types of elements into your home. And
what we're being asked to do, ladies is the social distancing,
which means that you limit your interaction or you're certain your
physical contact and proximity to people in order to protect them,
and protect you from the virus. Now, if you want more information
about this, I will link to a video in the description here. But what
I want to offer you in this video is more how to how to deal with
social distancing, you know, like from a mental and emotional
wellbeing point of view. Because for many of us, you know, the
school run, you know, having coffee mornings, you know, having
your halacha having family over is a huge part of how we live and
it's what you know, is one of the things that brings us joy. Now,
we're in a situation where we are being literally asked to stay in
our homes and only leave for, you know, for for emergencies or for
sort of urgent or really, you know, needed for needed reasons.
So what does staying in your home in this day and age look like? How
can we make this beneficial for us and our families? That is the
question I want to talk about in this video. So the first thing I
want to say is to invite you to reframe social distancing. It is
not an easy ask, okay. And it's not something that anybody enjoys,
and nobody's really happy to do it. But I'm inviting you to
reframe this, as you making the right decision for yourself and
your family. This is a las Panatela giving you an opportunity
to protect your lion cubs, to protect your family to protect
your health, we are actually blessed to have an opportunity
where we can stay at home. And because we have the internet
because we have access to the world via the internet, we can get
a lot done at home. That's what I really want to invite you to think
about is the opportunities that social distancing introduces to
our lives. Yes, we will have less time with our friends. Yes, we are
not going to be out and about and you know, eating out and doing all
of these things. But what will that free us up for? Well, it
frees us up to really connect with ourselves. Let's let's be real. A
lot of us don't like spending time with ourselves and we need the
distractions of the outside world. But why is that? Now is a time to
start really
examining, you know, kind of who we are and and what we want out of
out of life out of this life, you know, how are we showing up? How
are we showing up as mothers? How are we showing up as wives? How
are we showing up as leaders within our homes. Because as we
stay home more, we are going to have to spend time with ourselves
and also time with our children and spouses. This could lead to
some previously buried issues coming to the fore. But again,
what is the opportunity for these relationships to actually be
healed, and be strengthened and be poured into, because we're no
longer distracted with what's going on on the outside. Now, of
course, that will only happen if you don't use social distancing as
an excuse to go on Netflix binges every day, and spend all day on
your phone, checking on the news, one of the things I'm going to
invite you to do is to limit your screen time, limit your screen
time, and get your children to limit their screen time as well.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't, you know, check on what's
happening in the world. I'm not saying that you shouldn't watch
your favorite, whatever. But what I am saying is, please don't allow
this period of social distancing and isolation to result in just
more screen addiction, and just more Netflix binges. Because there
is an opportunity here, there's an opportunity to reconnect with
yourself to reconnect with Allah subhanaw taala, there's an
opportunity to reconnect with your spouse, with your children, to
start creating memories with them, to start doing things that maybe
as a busy family you weren't able to do and now you have the
opportunity to actually do them, you know, to have those
conversations that you always wanted to have with them, but just
never found the time. You know, to play the game that you used to
play with your siblings when you were young.
To start reading, again, to start reading to your kids, again,
to start writing, if that's what you want to do, to start
teaching yourself to start taking an online course, you know to work
on a skill, YouTube videos are great for that, to start
developing something building something for when we go back to
normality in Sharla.
social distancing and isolation does not have to mean the end of
your life. It's simply the temporary close of one chapter and
the beginning of a new one.
The best thing about it is that you get to write that chapter
inshallah. Allah subhana, Allah has put us in a situation he has
set the circumstances, because the circumstances are out of our
control as they usually are. But we have the power to choose how we
deal with those circumstances how we respond to this situation.
So make a choice. Firstly, to see this period, as a period of
opportunity for you, for you and your family. And then make the
most of on the online world, then now is the time to be having
virtual coffee mornings in zoom. Okay, now is the time to start a
whatsapp chain where you you know, inspire each other and remind each
other, now's the time to potentially join some Facebook
groups like the solidarity Summit Group, which will allow you to be
in a positive safe space where you can get to interact with sisters,
and continue to have some kind of social life without having to
leave your home. So make the most of what the best of what's on the
internet. And I really would say shut out the stuff that doesn't
serve you. If you are following people who are doom and gloom who
are constantly updating reports on the Coronavirus, you may want to
unfollow them, you may want to start actually calling your social
media already we're reducing screen time, but then the screen
time that you do have, make sure that it's giving you the result
that you want. It should be increasing you in a man and in
faith and positivity and, and strength and focusing you during
this time on what you can control what you have the power to do.
Rather than making you feel anxious, scared, fearful, panicky
and focusing on things that are out of your control. So make sure
you make that choice because it's a very, very important decision to
decide to only consume what is serving you and to stop consuming
the things that are not serving you. So what I've said so far is a
way to to reframe social distancing and isolation so that
it becomes something that you are able to benefit from and to make
it up
positive experience for yourself and for your spousal relationship
and for your children and your home, and then make the most of
the outside world via the online space. In another video, I will be
breaking down how you can take advantage of social isolation for
your own personal growth. But for now, I just wanted to put social
isolation, social distancing, and isolation in a context. I hope
it's beneficial for you. If it was please do share this video, like,
comment, subscribe, and let other people know and most importantly,
let me know what your takeaway from this video was. Are you
practicing social distancing and isolation right now? Has any thing
that I've shared or anything that you've learned from elsewhere
helped you to make that process easier? Please let me know in the
comments I would love to know and I hope you will join me in the
Facebook group our solidarity Facebook group which is also
linked in the description below. May Allah keep you safe, keep you
sane and keep you thriving throughout this difficult time. I
am your sister name will be Robert was Salam alaykum Warahmatullahi
Wabarakatuh