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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A pr il 29 ,2 02 1 | 24 Supporting Local Businesses inYour Community ourYusinesses inB With shopping restrictions changing regularly to complywith the latest public health safety measures our communities need to be kept in- formed onwhich businesses are open and how they are ensuring a safe shopping experience. To help our communities we have created an online business directory that features local businesses that are open, hours of operation and how customers can safely make purchases from the stores. Our business directory can be accessed from anyone of our 25 Community sites in Ontario.Visit metroland.com to find the community site in your area. Visit our communitywebsite in your area and click on the banner at the bottom of the page. ea and clickarourye inebsitwommunitycVisit our www.metroland.com STEVE PAIKIN FROM TVO'S THE AGENDA Democracy is fragile. That's the thinking behind the Toronto Star and TVO partnership, The Democracy Agenda - an in-depth look at threats facing democracy here and abroad. Tune into TVO tonight @ 8pm or 11pm ET Stream on tvo.org Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, "When Allah (SWT) loves someone, he tries him with hardships." The pandemic we are currently in is an accurate example of a test and hard- ship given from Allah, and that patience is the funda- mental aspect of a believer that is crucial to help us deal through these ex- traordinary times. Indeed, there is wisdom behind everything Allah wills. Therefore, let's ex- plore the benefits of some teachings of the Prophet and Islam that can get us through this crisis. As a result of present circumstances, billions of people are forced to spend time away from loved ones. This isolation is increas- ing the rate of anxiety and depression, causing peo- ple to develop COVID fa- tigue due to the decreasing levels of patience. In a hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhi, it outlines the story of a Bedouin man who was leaving his camel without tying it. The Prophet (PBUH) asked him, "Why don't you tie down your camel?" The Bedouin answered, "I put my trust in Allah." The Prophet then replied, "Tie your camel first, and then put your trust in Allah." Thus, it's essential to first do the necessary re- quirements to adapt to your needs while main- taining trust in Allah. Although it's not guar- anteed how long this time will last, it's vital to contin- ue retaining your guard while making dua for the ease of these unusual times. With COVID variants and cases on the rise, it's obligatory for the popula- tion to follow the guide- lines relating to their spec- ified region. However, Prophet Mu- hammad (PBUH) had al- ready introduced the uni- versal Islamic guidelines 1,400 years ago, in which he advised us to refrain from entering into an out- break area, and to remain in the infected area (if you are presently living in one) until the crisis is over. The wisdom behind the advice of Prophet Muham- mad (PBUH) is exception- al. Although these steps would have been more ad- vantageous to follow last year during the start of the pandemic, if they are still taken seriously during the current times by the pub- lic, the spread of the dis- ease and its powerful mu- tations could potentially stop. Purity is undoubtedly a prominent aspect Islam continuously emphasizes, especially as a result of cleanliness being half of the faith. Recent studies by the British Columbia Cen- tre for Disease Control mentions that approxi- mately 80 per cent of com- municable diseases are spread by touch. There- fore, washing your hands five times a day signifi- cantly decreases the fre- quency of influenza, colds and other diseases. Given these statistics, the daily lifestyle of an average Muslim who is al- ready practising wudhu five times a day, prior to each prayer, our Islamic practices correlate with the present guidelines whilst putting us ahead of the hygienic game. It's un- believably impressive how a simple habit like wudhu is so beneficial for the body as much as it revital- izes the soul. The teachings dis- cussed here are only a few of the several hadiths that speak to the benefits that can help us cope and pro- tect ourselves through the pandemic. We can see how simple practices that have been implemented in our daily lives have such a powerful influence on our health and hope, something we should be thankful to have as it is regarded as a privi- lege for many people. Aside from these points, we should remember that with every hardship comes ease. The holy month of Ram- adan reiterates similar ideologies in terms of sharing and caring while teaching discipline and self-control when observ- ing the practices of fast- ing. The pandemic hasn't stopped Muslims from contacting and checking up on relatives and friends virtually, and they contin- ue to donate to people in need and do simple acts of kindness when given the chance to do so. Muslims are prescribed to control their anger and to remain more tolerant during this blessed month. May Ramadan's blessings be showered to the whole nation. Ramadan Kareem! Sidra Anjum is a Grade 10 student at St. Thomas Aquinas Second- ary School. ISLAM OFFERS IMPORTANT LESSONS TO DEALING WITH PANDEMIC OPINION MUCH CAN BE GAINED FROM HARDSHIP, WRITES SIDRA ANJUM SIDRA ANJUM Column