I feel as if we are living in a bubble in our apartment in Muscat. There is so much going on outside of it right now, and so many thoughts are circling – for all of us. Challenging times, testing times.

We are staying at home, as I hope you all are, trying to get on with our day-to-day activities. All the while panicking about what tomorrow may bring.

My husband, unfortunately, still has to go in to work some days of the week, despite this not being an absolute necessity. I am hoping this will change very soon, as the majority of us really need to stay at home to have any chance of beating this thing.

Things have escalated so quickly. Did the term “corona virus” mean anything to us a few months ago? This time last month even, did we ever think it would reach this point so soon?
I have been using this website, set up by the Ministry of Health in Oman, to track the number of COVID-19 cases in Oman, the GCC and across the globe. As of today, there are 109 confirmed cases in Oman, of which 23 have recovered. Alhamdulillah there have been no deaths reported in Oman as of yet.

I’m so scared for everyone. My family in the UK, I don’t know when I will be able to see them again, with the way things are now. I fear for them, with the way numbers are increasing over there everyday. I fear for all my family and friends all over the world. I fear for our Ummah. The three of us. I fear for my child and her future.

I’m trying to keep my toddler busy; playing, laughing, singing. I’m trying to continue studying for a course I am not sure I will be able to complete. I’m trying to follow the news but not too much so that it doesn’t consume me. I’m trying to keep in touch with all our loved ones. I am trying, but sometimes those fearful thoughts take over – as I am sure they do for you too.

Is this the end? It can’t be the end the end, since a lot of events that I believe will happen have not happened yet, but it certainly feels like this is the beginning of the end.

This is a reminder that we can make plans but Allah is the best of planners – this global pandemic is, of course, Allah’s will. But we must not forget that we have been given free will by Allah too.

So what can we do other than stay strong and keep faith? We can exercise our free will.

We must, of course, practise good hygiene and stay at home. We also need to be wary of how our actions will affect others. Whether this is through taking precautions not to spread the disease, or the kindness of our words – both we have control over.

We have to stay positive and we have to use this time well too.

If you are a [what is being identified as a] “key worker”, thank you so much for everything you are doing for the rest of us.

To everyone else:
Please stay at home, stay safe, stay well.
Stay in your bubble, stay happy.