Across the streets of one borough in East London, the adhan is being broadcast from the mosques in the vicinity to remind local Muslim residents of the time for prayer. It is an unusual scene. Due to lockdown, no worshippers are hurrying to the mosque. Instead, its doors are closed.
For the thousands of local Muslims observing the month of fasting, one of their most central experiences of the year, which revolves around the mosque, is something they cannot take part in.
The result is an abject feeling of loss. To remedy this, permission has been granted by the local council for the adhan to be proclaimed. It appears to be human understanding at its finest, to extend understanding and joy to others in a time of difficulty.
The global faith leadership across religions has backed science and human safety right from the start, closing its institutions on the expert advice of scientists
While there are upsetting stories of rising racism and Islamophobia during this current pandemic and associated lockdown, the stories of believers of different faiths coming together, appreciating each other, and drawing strength from their respective religions has been heartening. The mosques broadcasting the adhan have said that while they have received some Islamophobia-filled comments, the overwhelming feedback has been positive.
As one local resident told me: "I live in the borough and think it's a positive step. I can hear the azaan [sic] and stop to admire its beauty. Given the absence of mosques, especially for taraweeh, I am glad steps have been taken to help Muslims feel that connection to their places of worship during Ramadan."
A worldwide day of prayer for people of all faiths has been organised for today, May 14th. It has been called for by the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity, an international religious community based in the UAE, formed during Pope Francis's visit to Abu Dhabi last year.
Pope Francis called on "believers of all faiths" to unite in the day of fasting and prayer to ask "God to help humankind overcome the coronavirus pandemic."
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai tweeted about the day: "However our efforts play out, we need God's grace and mercy."
One of the Pope's aides has nailed the heart of the interfaith contribution in navigating the current situation. "Faith unites, not divides." Monsignor Yoannis Lahzi Gaid, a priest from Egypt and a member of the Higher Committee of Human Fraternity added: "It will be the first time that all humanity has united for a single goal: to pray together, each according to their faith."
Part of the prayers will be dedicated to scientists working to find a vaccine against the disease. The global faith leadership across religions has backed science and human safety right from the start, closing its institutions on the expert advice of scientists.
This ought to be remembered and create a shift in thinking about establishment religions. Of course there have been religious groups across all faiths who have opposed shutdown, and even gone as far as to dispute the science, saying that their faith will protect them.
But credit is due to the institutions who have held firm on lockdown.
The interfaith movement should draw strength from the fact that they have found common cause in upholding science and in protecting human life even in the face of intense criticism from their own congregations.
This sameness despite difference has also made clear that the underpinnings of all faiths are consistent, no matter your religion.
The sanctity of human life, the power of prayer, the importance of human endeavour to solve problems all the while relying on God have become even more apparent during this crisis, and should be taken as firm foundations for the power and potential impact of interfaith work in the future.
There has been undoubted loss for believers over the last few weeks in terms of religious practice. Death of course is the most sombre.
In terms of religious practice, the festivals of Easter, Passover, Baisakhi and Ramadan, to name just a few have lacked the togetherness and congregation that define them. But the interfaith work like today's Day of Prayer may be the silver lining of that loss, bringing believers together in a much bigger way beyond the confines of their own religion.
It is seeing these similarities across faiths that is most powerful. When I asked if people who are not Muslim enjoyed hearing the adhan, one respondent said "I've always liked it," he said. "It isn't that different to the church bells I hear daily. Medieval Jewish culture had something similar: schulklopferen, who would knock at your door!"
The lens of interfaith worship during this pandemic has harnessed the power to show us we are may be different, but ultimately we are the same.
Shelina Janmohamed is the author of Love in a Headscarf and Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Who is Tim-Berners Lee?
Sir Tim Berners-Lee was born in London in a household of mathematicians and computer scientists. Both his mother, Mary Lee, and father, Conway, were early computer scientists who worked on the Ferranti 1 - the world's first commercially-available, general purpose digital computer. Sir Tim studied Physics at the University of Oxford and held a series of roles developing code and building software before moving to Switzerland to work for Cern, the European Particle Physics laboratory. He developed the worldwide web code as a side project in 1989 as a global information-sharing system. After releasing the first web code in 1991, Cern made it open and free for all to use. Sir Tim now campaigns for initiatives to make sure the web remains open and accessible to all.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
From Europe to the Middle East, economic success brings wealth - and lifestyle diseases
A rise in obesity figures and the need for more public spending is a familiar trend in the developing world as western lifestyles are adopted.
One in five deaths around the world is now caused by bad diet, with obesity the fastest growing global risk. A high body mass index is also the top cause of metabolic diseases relating to death and disability in Kuwait, Qatar and Oman – and second on the list in Bahrain.
In Britain, heart disease, lung cancer and Alzheimer’s remain among the leading causes of death, and people there are spending more time suffering from health problems.
The UK is expected to spend $421.4 billion on healthcare by 2040, up from $239.3 billion in 2014.
And development assistance for health is talking about the financial aid given to governments to support social, environmental development of developing countries.
Profile
Company name: Marefa Digital
Based: Dubai Multi Commodities Centre
Number of employees: seven
Sector: e-learning
Funding stage: Pre-seed funding of Dh1.5m in 2017 and an initial seed round of Dh2m in 2019
Investors: Friends and family
More from UAE Human Development Report:
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to increase your savings
- Have a plan for your savings.
- Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
- Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
- It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings.
- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books
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Full Party in the Park line-up
2pm – Andreah
3pm – Supernovas
4.30pm – The Boxtones
5.30pm – Lighthouse Family
7pm – Step On DJs
8pm – Richard Ashcroft
9.30pm – Chris Wright
10pm – Fatboy Slim
11pm – Hollaphonic
As You Were
Liam Gallagher
(Warner Bros)
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
