By Nasser Rohani,
In these days of social distancing, when we are mostly confined to the walls of our homes and engaged in various activities to keep our sanity intact, it is OK to reflect on what we are doing. Really! How are we doing in quarantine? Binge-watching shows on Netflix? Doing puzzles? Learning Spanish? Dancing in front of mirror? Doing yoga? Baking bread from scratch? Organizing our closet? Folding the laundry? Chatting with friends?
How about letting ourselves be?
One aspect of things that really consumes our mind and heart is ingesting the news about the deaths of hundreds of victims of this vicious pandemic. We feel saddened and even depressed. Well, it is OK to think, feel, and grieve. Think about what has transpired over the last couple of months. Grieve for all of the people who’ve died during this pandemic. For the families who aren’t able to grieve together. Cry in fear for our friends and family who are medical professionals in COVID-19 units across the country and for those who are home alone. Then, for those who have lost their loved ones, there is a dilemma of not having an opportunity for closure. We are asked by the medical authorities to observe social distancing, avoid large congregations. We cannot hug each other and weep together and console each other.
Saying goodbye to a loved one is a ritual that transcends social and cultural differences. Even in secular societies, survivors participate in some combination of prayer and remembrance to honor the departed. These traditions are being upended as governments across the globe impose strict social distancing orders, forcing people to find new ways to grieve. Having that sense of grieving, has brought us together. These are extraordinary times. And extraordinary times demand extraordinary actions. As a member of the Baha’i community, I wanted to offer my community’s position on how we handle the problems we are facing. The issue of religious rituals and practices, especially in relation to process of grieving and internment of the dead bodies, is the most sensitive and emotional issue. Baha’is have specific laws related to preparation of the body, shroud, burial and the prayers for the dead. However, the two important issues that we ALL should keep in mind are (i) following the government directives and (ii) observing the scientific facts. Everything else could be put on temporary hold for the sake of public health and safety. The Baha’is have suspended ALL their religious meetings and moved on various virtual platforms. In addition, we have been told that public safety must be diligently and thoroughly observed by all. Whatever advice the health authorities provide must be followed. Even should authorities mandate cremation of the deceased, we pose no objection to observing such a requirement.
If we all unite and with one heart withstand and endure, the better days are right around the corner.
Nasser Rohani was born in Iran. At 18 he left Iran for India to pursue higher education. After the advent of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Nasser who intended to return to his homeland, was unable to go back, due to his religious affiliation—the Bahá’í Faith. The Bahá’ís are being persecuted by the fundamentalist regime. He continued his education and completed his Pre-PhD studies in village cooperative banking from Osmania University. After an 11 year stay in India, he and his wife and child emigrated to the United States in 1985. He soon joined the L.L. Bean company and for thirty two years he worked there as a systems programmer/analyst in the information services department. Nasser and his wife Parivash have four children and live in Portland, Maine.
Rose photo by Peter Gustafson
