Reflections on Surat An-Nis' Through 61 Nights of Lockdown

The term "lockdown' makes one's heart clench; it is the restriction of people's freedom of movement due to emergency circumstances. It is a measure to which states resort to avert risks often caused by political turmoil or security breakdowns. However, in late March 2020 -corresponding to late Rajab 1441 AH-countries all over the world imposed lockdowns for the very first time due to health circumstances, in an effort to control the spread of the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, which spread across the globe with extreme speed among adults, infecting more than 700 million people and killing 7 million of them. Governments imposed lockdowns, permitting only grocery stores and pharmacies to open, while shutting down ail restaurants, cafes, clothing shops and appliance stores, Global commerce ground to a halt, airports closed, and all aircraft were grounded. People suddenly discovered that airports lacked sufficient space to park all civilian aircraft, as it was the first time they were all immobilized simultaneously on the face of the Earth Tourism and world trade came to a complete standstill. Matters even escalated to the point where some governments seized medical aid shipments bound for stricken areas, amid acute shortages of face masks and ventilators. Visits between relatives were banned by force of law to curb the spread of the virus. The atmosphere was bleak and charged with dread. People were collapsing, and grand parents-who once found their greatest joy in their grandchildren did not want them to visit or even come near. People felt as though death was lurking just outside their doors. Yet, at that very same time, around 25,000 people were living some of the most beautiful days of their lives. They gathered, with me via live internet broadcasts around the table of the Qur'an, contemplating Surat Yunus, which they began on the first day of the lockdown in Egypt-specifically on March 24, 2020. They had chosen Surat Yunus in a lighthearted spirit, seeing a parallel between their situation and that of Yunus (Jonah), peace be upon him, who could not roam freely while inside the mouth of the whale. The initial intention was for the daily contemplation sessions to last only for the duration of the lockdown. They completed the contemplation of Surat Yunus in 28 days, yet the lockdown did not end; instead, governments tightened restrictions further. So, we began Surat Hud. Midstream through the Surah, one of the participants suggested continuing until the entire Qur'an was completed through contemplation. The audience pledged on the livestream never to stop until either death or completion. Indeed, they concluded the contemplation of the entire Quran across 1010 consecutive episodes over 1010 nights without interruption, persisting through six Eid celebrations-both Eld al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha-without taking a single day off, not even for Eid. While people around them were fearful and depressed, they were rejoicing in the meadows of the Quran. The recorded episodes retained the title "Lockdown" so that they may constantly remember these times of vulnerability and reliance upon God: "No, indeed! Man truly transgresses, when he perceives himself as self-sufficient* [Sign 6-7: Surat Al-Alaq]. And here are these episodes being transformed into books arranged by nights, allowing the reader to experience the atmosphere of contemplation just as it was during the days of the lockdown.