It has been during fight with the COVID-19 pandemic that India’s Masjids have emerged as great examples of kindness, resilience, and community spirit. In Delhi, the country’s capital city, Masjids are playing a huge role in serving affected communities; they are essential services ranging from food packets and oxygen cylinders to emotional support and dignified burials. The selfless contributions of Masjids in Delhi show how important this institution is as a social well-being promoter and community cohesion instrument and humanitarian aid.
A Lifeline for the Needy
During the lockdown, many families were unable to go out and obtain some basic necessities like food and groceries. A few Masjids in the city began to distribute free-of-cost food at each place with all the essential things for the needy.
At Jama Masjid, Delhi, hundreds of volunteers were tirelessly preparing and distributing food packets numbering thousands to the poor. “We initiated this activity so that no one in our community starves,” said Maulana Ahmed Bukhari, chief Imam of the Masjid. “It is our responsibility to serve mankind, more so when it hurts.”
The team of volunteers at Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah cooked and distributed meals to more than 500 families daily. “We’re not just feeding the body; we’re also nourishing the soul,”said Syed Salman Chishty,the caretaker of dargah.
Oxygen for the Breathless
Hospitals in Delhi were left struggling with a shortage of oxygen cylinders as the pandemic continued to spread. Masjids, once again, stepped forward to supply oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment to hospitals and patients.
Volunteers at the Al-Aqsa Masjid in Jaffrabad, Delhi, collected and distributed more than 200 oxygen cylinders to hospitals and patients across the city. “We’re doing this because it’s our duty to help those in need,” said Maulana Abdul Rashid, the Imam of the Masjid. “We’re not just serving Muslims, we’re serving humanity.”
The Importance of Dignified Burials
The Pandemic brought about renewed consciousness regarding dignified burials, too. Delightfully enough, Masjids, especially in the capital city Delhi, played important roles in getting the dead and their families decent and dignified funerals conducted in strict obedience to Islamic mores.
Volunteers from the Masjids in the locality worked hard at the Idgah Cemetery in ITO to provide burial services to over 100 families, ensuring that the deceased were given a dignified and respectful send-off.
A Beacon of Hope
The services of Masjids in Delhi amid the crisis were not limited to dispensing food, oxygen, and conducting burials. They also left behind a sense of hope and solace for all those who needed it during this period.
At the Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk, volunteers conducted counselling sessions and counselling support groups among families who had lost family members due to this pandemic. “We are here to give people emotional support while giving them also some kind of physical support.” Imam Mufti Mohammed Asif is the chief Imam in this Masjid.
A Community Unites
Masjids, madrasas, and other local community organisations worked together to look after the sick and needy. At DarulUloom Deoband – one of India’s largest Islamic seminaries – this was the mode of work adopted by students as well as faculties. Food packets, masks, and other vital supplies were made and distributed across affected communities, irrespective of faith and creed.
In our reflections on the pandemic, there is a very important role for us to pay attention to selfless services done by Masjids in Delhi. In these efforts of theirs, one could see them striving hard and giving comfort, support, and aid to victims of the crisis, a powerful example of compassion, empathy, and community service.
The role of Masjids in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Delhi has been an epitome of resilience, solidarity, and a commitment to serve humanity. Therefore, as we move forward, it is necessary that we appreciate the critical role Masjids play in promoting social welfare, community cohesion, and humanitarian values.
The Quran says, “And We have certainly honoured the children of Adam” (Quran 17:70). The services that Masjids in Delhi have provided during the pandemic have been a testament to this honour and reminded everyone of the boundless potential of human compassion and kindness.
This has shown us all that despite all our differences, we are members of one common human family; and our own well-being, in large part, depends on our capacity to work together toward the common good.
Let’s take these lessons forward into a better future, learning from this pandemic into how we can work to build a world that is fairer, more compassionate, and more just for all; a world in which empathy, kindness, and generosity find their daily expression, and everyone has access to the help they need and opportunities that allow them to flourish.