Making Peace and Welcoming Victory

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Alad tadarus (reciting) activity of the Koran by students at the Daarul Quran Al-Kautsar Islamic Boarding School, Cibinong, Bogor Regency, by maintaining a distance between one another, Saturday (9/5/2020). The activity of reciting or tadarus jointly implemented while maintaining personal health and safety

The future of humankind seems dark if we read the World Health Organization’s (WHO) statement that the new coronavirus will not completely go away even after a vaccine is available.

Perhaps this will be similar to measles, of which the vaccine was already available decades ago and yet we still see unvaccinated children contracting the disease. Furthermore, WHO regional director for Europe Henri P Kluge has talked about the complexity of the problem and the uncertainties that lie ahead, which is why “there is no fast track to the new normal”.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s call to all Indonesians to make peace with COVID-19 is like a statement of desperation. The head of state’s appeal for all citizens to be prepared for the new normal complemented the pessimistic view.

This era must serve as call for the human race to stay connected with one another, no matter where they are.

The timing was pitch-perfect for all Muslims who are about to celebrate Idul Fitri. The holiday, usually greeted with festivities after a whole month of fasting during Ramadan, is suddenly celebrated differently, without any Idul Fitri eve parade (takbir keliling).

Also read : ‘Fitri’ in Silence

The tradition of visiting and shaking hands with relatives is replaced with “online gatherings” through short messages, voice calls or video calls. This is a difficult time for social life: no income, firing everywhere and social assistance from the government is a mere consolation. It is not a source of joy as the gloom is just too colossal.

Must we despair? No. We must always see glimmers of hope. This era must serve as call for the human race to stay connected with one another, no matter where they are. We must never surrender and disappear. The call to “make peace” does not mean waving the white flag amid a war, followed by a negotiation between humankind representatives and coronavirus delegates.

Implementation of “new normal”

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Making peace means adaptation: adjusting ourselves to new habits and environments, as mankind must acknowledge its co-existence in the world with other creatures, including the new coronavirus and other viruses, bacteria and single-cell organisms such as the malaria parasite.

The phrase “new normal” may seem new but mankind’s adaptive behavior is nothing new. Billions of people all over the world adopted the habit of washing their hands with soap once they understood that soap could kill disease-causing bacteria and viruses.

However, people were only aware of the practice’s importance in the 19th century, when the Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis persistently required all doctors and nurses to wash their hands before surgeries in 1847.

Now, everyone is suggested to wash their hands with soap more often, as well as to wear masks and maintain a physical distance. Such practices may stay in the future, even until the people are no longer aware of a different life before COVID-19.

Perhaps there is no fast track to the new normal, like Kluge said. However, a normal life has to return. Children must go to school again and adults must return to work again. Places of worship must be open again and life must blossom once more.

Also read : A Special Ramadan in the Time of Coronavirus

However, surely now is not the right time to do so for Indonesia as we are still fighting to curb the virus’ spread. President Jokowi’s statement must be understood as a call for all Indonesians to prepare themselves for the new normal while waiting for the COVID-19 vaccine to be available through mass production.

For Muslims, the term “new normal” may sound new even if the fundamental concept is old. Every Idul Fitri, ulemas and intellectuals always remind all of us about the holiday’s essential meaning of “becoming pure again” and leading a new life after a thorough soul cleansing during Ramadan. It seems to me that everyone is familiar with the meaning of Idul Fitri and it requires no more explanation.

What is necessary and important is how to implement this meaning in our social life in line with conditions under the COVID-19 pandemic. Calls to help one another, share with one another and uphold social solidarity values as the manifestation of our piety toward Allah (Glory to Him, the Exalted) must be renewed and expanded.

Also read : Ramadan 1441 H: Worshipping in Anxiety

STR/AFP

Muslim worshippers perform the "Tarawih" nightly prayer during the holy month of Ramadan, while keeping their distance amid the COVID-19 pandemic, at the Grand Mosque, Islam\'s holiest site, in the Saudi city of Mecca, late on May 8, 2020.

Colossal collaboration

Helping one another must not be person-to-person through alms. It must be done colossally and collectively by involving all elements of the nation: the government, civil organizations, education agencies and the industry.

World leaders are calling for multinational collaboration to fight COVID-19 as they are aware that working alone will be impossible. Indonesians must also share and collaborate with one another so that at least in the short term, we can get through the critical phase of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the new coronavirus.

Let’s say that one province or one regency/city has passed through the critical phase of the COVID-19 emergency. They can help other regions by sending medical workers or equipment. It will be really helpful if the regional government has a leftover budget for social assistance and is willing to use it to help other regions.

Also read : Ramadan 1441 H: Worshipping in Anxiety

Sharing information is of no less importance. We know, as reflected in the President’s recent statement, that certain regions have curbed the spread of COVID-19 without any large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), while other regions remain overwhelmed despite having imposed extreme PSBB measures.

Successful regions, or those that have passed the critical phase, can share information and strategy with other regions.

In short, Indonesians must be able to overturn this colossal gloom into colossal collaboration. Once the nation has passed the critical phase, it can help other nations still mired in difficulties.

DOKUMENTASI PRIBADI

ROBIKIN EMHAS

Indonesia, including its Muslim majority, can contribute universally for the future of humankind. If all are committed to stay connected with, collaborate with and help one another, can there be room for pessimism and uncertainty about victory?

Robikin Emhas, Senior Executive, Nahdlatul Ulama