The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the lives of people worldwide, causing distress and disrupting lives at multiple levels.
At such a difficult time, faith and connection to Allah help bring succor to many people, as in the remembrance of its Creator, the heart gets peace and comfort.
Along this line, Imam Tamer Abdelaziz plays a very important role in helping patients come through the Covid-19 pandemic.
Abdelazizis the lead Muslim chaplain at M Health Fairview, one of Minnesota’s biggest healthcare providers.
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He works a full week serving patients with all types of illnesses. He is also on call once a week to counsel patients with COVID-19.
“They’re being reminded of their legacy and the good things that they’ve done, and the possibility of entering God’s mercy and entering paradise,” he told Sahan Journal.
Visiting those patients, he connects them to their spirituality through prayers, Qur’anic verses, and support.
“Common narratives like the story of Job [Ayyub] who became ill and dealt with his illness for many, many years. How does he cope with it? Muslim patients can relate to stories like that for inspiration,” he said.
Personal Experience
Imam Abdelaziz decided to help COVID-19 patients after he cought the virus himself in March and experienced severe illness.
“After my recovery, I wanted to do something about it. As chaplains, we can volunteer for what we call “end of life on-call.” And I found out there’s end of life on-call for COVID-19 patients. I put my name on the roster,” he said.
“There’s probably about 12 to 15 of us chaplains across all faiths through the healthcare system that have volunteered to do this.”
The coronavirus has infected 3,098,237 and claimed 134,018 lives in the US as of Tuesday morning, according to WorldOmeter.
The virus is especially dangerous to the elderly community and those with compromised immune systems.