During the past months of lockdown, Muslims in different countries had to live in isolation, due to the coronavirus pandemic which interrupted their gatherings and celebrations.
However, members of a Calgary’s Muslim community have succeeded in maintaining their faith, charity efforts, and community support amid COVID-19.
Connecting community together, the Baitun Nur Mosque in Northeast Calgary held online classes for their youth and encouraged members to maintain their faith.
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The community has also launched a neighborhood helper campaign after the government enforced the lockdown. It set up a hotline where anyone would call for COVID-19 relief.
at the Baitun Nur Mosque in Calgary, Alberta, June 12, 2015. Photograph by Todd Korol
“Throughout this whole lockdown period, our membership was not at all neglected,” said Asif Arif, Imam at Ahmadiyya Baitun Nur Mosque in Northeast Calgary, Livewire Calgary reported.
As lockdown eases, the mosque reopened its doors in June, resuming two out of the five daily Muslim prayers.
As Alberta went into stage two of the relaunch strategy, the Baitun Nur Mosque allowed 150 members to come for all five daily prayers and Friday congregational prayer.
“We as a community will always follow the guidelines given by the Alberta government. Whatever instructions the local authority gives us, we will go accordingly,” said Imam Arif.
Islam lays a great emphasis on the virtue of neighborliness, stressing on Muslims’ individual duty to be good to their neighbors.
Ibn Abbas reported that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “He is not a believer whose stomach is filled while his immediate neighbor goes hungry.” (al-Sunan al-Kubra 19049)