Monday May 11, 2020
BY SUSAN DEVANEY
Aden preparing the suhur (meal at dawn) and iftar (meal at sunset)© Halima Aden
Like the rest of the world right now, model and humanitarian Halima Aden is adapting to living under lockdown during the coronavirus outbreak. Born in Kakuma, a refugee camp in Kenya, to a Somali mother, Aden moved to Missouri at the age of seven before finally settling in Minnesota. Currently, the 22-year-old Somali-American is isolating with her roommate and best friend, and has been observing Ramadan for more than two weeks. (The Islamic holy month, which occurs once a year, started on 23 April and will conclude on 23 May.) Here, Aden, who was the first hijabi model on the cover of British Vogue, shares her experience of Ramadan in the time of coronavirus.
A typical day for me during Ramadan
“Ramadan is a month of reflection for those who follow the Islamic faith. It’s a time to appreciate what we have and to give what we can. At the beginning of the Covid-19 outbreak, it felt like the fashion world halted abruptly – and fear set in. As brands, publications and designers have worked to adjust and transform during this time, I have been fortunate to see work pick back up from the comfort of my own home using technology.
“At the moment, my day begins with checking emails, FaceTiming with my mother, and then digging into the schedule that my team sends to me. Like most people in the fashion industry, my work involves creating content from home. In turn, I’ve had to really re-teach myself how to do my make-up. I’ve been fortunate to be able to do speaking engagements from home, too.
“My day involves breaks for prayer, and time spent writing thank you notes. Ramadan is really a time to show our gratitude, and I have so many people to be thankful for. This worldwide crisis has really allowed me to take a deep breath and regroup. This Ramadan, I’ve been making sure that I’m writing down my goals for the year, prioritising what is important, and again, really counting my blessings. I don’t want to see this pandemic as a holiday, as I know I’ll need to work 10 times harder than I ever have when we can go back to work, or travel. I’ve been able to take up virtual acting lessons with a coach, which has allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone – that has been really nice.”
Fasting and my willpower
“Because most days, I have not been working at the pace I normally do, I haven’t found fasting to be as difficult this year. In fact, being home, I’ve really been able to focus on the practice and take the time to appreciate the meaning. When I’m travelling I always eat out at restaurants, so because I don’t really cook or know how to, that makes skipping meals easier, too.”
The lessons that I’m learning (and sharing)
“As many people know, I support UNICEF and their #UCanLearn campaign on social media. The concept is to teach your followers something new, something that people can do from home. UNICEF believes in the importance of uninterrupted learning. I taught my followers how to sing the song “Jambo”, which is like a “welcome to our community” song back in Kenya. Ramadan is also a time of learning and teaching. I’ve enjoyed seeing my followers participate by teaching me and children around the globe origami, make-up looks, baking and more as part of the campaign. Each day, I continue to remind myself of something that my mother has always said: “Hard times never last, but strong people do.” I think that is so important for everyone, not just Muslims observing Ramadan and Eid, to remember at this time.”
Thinking of those observing Ramadan for the first time
“In some ways, I actually think this is a perfect time to be observing as there should be very few interruptions or distractions. There is nowhere for you to go, so take this time to be with loved ones, evaluate your personal journey, ask yourself what you value and cherish, and make a plan for what you want to do or become. Right now, we are seeing people helping others around the world on such an incredible scale. I would encourage a first time participant, or really anyone observing Ramadan, to think of how you can help the world become a better place.”
Taking time to reflect on my career
“During this time of forgiveness, I’m able to reflect on my career quite a bit. I’ve had those around me who have not been comfortable with my career choice since the beginning, and that’s okay. Each year during this month, I forgive them. It allows me to personally start fresh, shake it off, and focus on what’s most important to me. At the end of the day, I place the most value on simply being a good person.”
Observing Ramadan without my family
“Unfortunately, where my mother lives in St Cloud in Minnesota, they’ve seen a rise in Covid-19 cases, so she has encouraged me to just stay in my apartment. I’m isolating with my roommate, who just so happens to be my childhood best friend. She is a college student, so I have been able to follow what she is doing with online classes. We both like to watch Netflix, so we’ve been catching up on shows together. My favourite thing to do at the moment is listen to nasheeds [Islamic songs] on YouTube. I’m currently obsessed with Maher Zain’s Ramadan songs.”
Virtual mosque visits
“We are so fortunate to live in a digital age, and now is the time to take advantage of that. I know there are organisations showing iftar celebrations online, and that is how we are able to celebrate safely during this time. It is important to stay home and play our part, so I encourage everyone to find a mosque that is providing a virtual option, which is what I’m doing, too.”
A sense of community
“Community has always been such an important part of my life. I’ve found that while we can’t all physically be together during this time, there is almost more of a sense of togetherness than ever before. I view my community as not only the folks I know personally, but people from all walks of life and from all different countries. For me, my relationship with UNICEF takes that sense of community a step further. From the young Muslim girls around the world that are my sisters to all the children that deserve a chance, UNICEF is working to give them a better life. That is why during this time, it is more important than ever that I am encouraging my friends and family to consider supporting this incredible organisation and the work they do for communities all over the world.”
Mastering the art of Zoom
“I have become quite the professional on Zoom this month. And, of course FaceTiming with family and doing Instagram Lives and YouTube Lives. Instagram Lives have been really fun, and they are now offering a feature to donate to a cause during the IG Live, which provides yet another opportunity for zakat [a form of alms-giving in Islam] giving.”
An Eid like no other
“I feel a bit sad when I think about Eid [the religious holiday that marks the end of Ramadan], as it is always such a big day for dressing up and being around those who you love. But, as we all know, being at home is benefitting everyone. We need to value the sacrifice made for our community as well as the sacrifices being made by everyone around the world at this time.”