Assalamu Alaikum dear Brothers and Sisters,

We hope everyone is taking precautions during these trying times and we ask Allah to keep us safe. Given the on-going COVID-19 pandemic situation and the equally worse pandemonium among the public, the USMAA Management Committee in consultation with the Trustees, has decided to suspend all upcoming USMAA events for the foreseeable future.

Why?
Given the government restrictions on social gatherings in an indoor setting and our inherent nature to embrace each other and maintain close contact, we are at risk of spreading the virus during our events. It is therefore best that we take all necessary actions to curb the virus.

But I was looking forward to the Ifthar and Eid functions……
We know! We are sad too. Our Ifthar and Eid functions are usually the most awaited functions. These bring so much joy to us. However, public safety will always take precedence over our enjoyment.

When will it be safe to resume our social events?
We are as keen as all of you to get our calendar of events up and running again. Let’s face it, we love to meet-up and be social creatures. The USMAA Management Committee will be closely monitoring the public safety announcements being issued by the government. We will definitely sound the drums when it is time to party again!!

What do we do in the meantime?
Unfortunately these are testing times for all of us. We need to understand that it is our responsibility to be good citizens and do our part to keep everyone safe and not cause unnecessary panic. Simple acts such as avoiding public places as much as possible, good hand hygiene habits, being considerate towards others, not forwarding unverified messages, not hoarding supplies etc. can go a long way in helping us get through this period.

Let us all ask Allah to keep us safe from this virus. We should also keep in mind the famous saying, “Have faith in God, but tie your camel.” It is important to make dua, but it is also important to be practical in how we go about our daily lives until this crisis is over.

Stay safe everyone! May Allah protect us all.  Ameen!
Wassalam.