Jalsa on Site, Jalsa at Home

Watching Jalsa Salana on MTA As the Covid-19 restrictions eased in 2021, large scale events began to take place. One such was Jalsa Salana, the Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community which takes place every summer with over 35,000 people attending from the UK and around the world. The 2021 event was very different, …

To Mask Or Not To Mask?

March saw the second anniversary of the first lockdown, with the few remaining UK restrictions being lifted on 1st April. Now there is no requirement to mask or vaccinate and anyone testing positive for Covid-19 is only asked to ‘try’ to avoid going out. It feels a little strange thinking of going out without a …

Goodbye Old and a Happy New Year!

The final day of 2021 was damp and not cold at all. Just after dark fireworks began bursting - a family party, perhaps, where the children may not be awake at midnight. At 8:00pm the fireworks really got going; a series of bangs, whistles and one terrifyingly neverending succession of wails; what even was that? …

The Negative of a Positive

She tested positive. A wave crashes through me as I read the long text from the NHS. It explains what to do, how long for, information sites. But I can't remember any of that; all I am aware of is that her test result is positive. She'd actually been feeling better since Tuesday, lower temperature …

Diary of An Isolator

By Danila (Tuesday 22 Dec) I am currently sitting in my room listening to Fly to my Room and waiting for someone to bring me breakfast.  It’s 10:29, the song has changed, and I’ve just returned from having my first ever coronavirus test. For a few days I’d been feeling under the weather and though …

Coronavirus and Comfort

When your child has a fever, you look after them with blankets, drinks and a cuddle. Even when they’re not a young age, but in their teens, they may not ask for it but they still need you. These days, in this year of Coronavirus, your child getting a fever has changed. First you may …

What’s Going On?

Brexit was full of division and strife, the country divided with extreme views. It wasn’t even entirely Left versus Right as this issue crossed the political divide. This was as bad as it could get, right? I write in the past tense but it’s far from over as nothing is settled and we’re still trapped …

Mum and the Fruits of Her Garden

Lockdown has given us an army of banana bread bakers and reusable face mask makers, just two of the activities some people significantly engaged in. A third, resulting from extra free time, food shortages and the wish to eat pure food was growing vegetables. I baked banana bread once and my mum made a batch …

Ramadan, Lockdown and a Confusing Time

My Day in a Surreal World, by Danila Laughter erupts from the other room, where the TV is playing and the household members without work enjoy their luxury to the utmost. I ignore my every instinct to go and see what's funny, and plough on with my school work. It sounds sad enough, but it's …

Day to Day in a New Reality

After six weeks, the Government has eased some restrictions of the lockdown that wasn't actually a proper lockdown; now we can exercise outside as many times a day as we wish by sitting in the park and enjoying the sun, while meeting one person from outside our household. This move should have been one of …