The New Corona Virus: an Islamic View

The New Corona Virus: An Islamic View

§  THE new Coronavirus has spread across China. The city Wuhan: The London-sized city where the virus began completely locked down with its 8.9 million people for a couple of weeks.  THE virus has spread At least 16 countries globally.  Including Thailand, Sri Lanka, France, the US, Canada, and Australia. More than 130 people have died in China and close to 6,000 have been infected. There is no specific cure or vaccine as medics say.

§  . The head of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme has said. The "whole world needs to be on alert" to fight the coronavirus,

§  So, the threat is on the news everywhere. Everyone is naturally curious about viruses, mutations, its origins and what is happening.

§   

As we Muslims should explore the issue and connect it with Islam. It’s important to show that Islam has a view on all issues and matters.

As Muslims we must try to  know how Islam gives guidance.

I divide my Khutba into 4 parts on the subject of new coronavirus

1. Islam has given guidance for everything

2. Prevention is better than cure.

3. Is this Punishment, test or reminder? With the concept of enjoining the good and forbid the evil

4. Finding a cure.

وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ تِبْيَٰنًا لِّكُلِّ شَىْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً وَبُشْرَىٰ لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ

‘And we have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things and as guidance and mercy and good tidings for the Muslims.’ (an-Nahl 89)

We must believe that Allah created us, He gave us the guidance in every single matter of our life.

It may be our family life, social life, economic life, educational life and political life.

Whenever and wherever we have problems we should approach them with an Islamic point of view.

The images of cities on lockdown, scanning travelers at airports and stations and empty streets can be scary. But this is not new for Muslims. When it comes to highly contagious communicable diseases, Islam has given guidance.

Whilst they probably didn’t have novel coronavirus in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, they did have the plague.

 «إذا سمعتم به في أرض فلا تقدموا عليها، وإذا وقع بأرض وأنتم بها فلا تخرجوا فرارا منه»

The Prophet ﷺ said, "If you hear about it (the plague) in a land that you are in, do not enter that land, and if you hear that it broke out in a certain land, do not run away from it." (Bukhari)

The first part of this hadith is pretty obvious, but the second part is more difficult to realize.

The natural response of a person confronted with a highly contagious disease is to run.

However, the hadith is clear not to run. What would motivate a person not to run through?

The Prophet ﷺ gave an incentive like no other. He said: ‘plague was a punishment which Allah used to send on whom He wished, but Allah made it a blessing for the believers. None (among the believers) remains patient in a land in which plague has broken out and considers that nothing will befall him except what Allah has ordained for him, but that Allah will grant him a reward similar to that of a martyr.’ (Bukhari)

The reward of the shuhada (the martyrs) is amongst the greatest rewards of all in Islam and it is given to the one who is patient and does not leave the area of plague. This is tied with Islamic concepts of tawaqqul and knowing that life and death lies solely in His ﷻ hands.

Islam, therefore, it lays down the basis of controlling disease spread.

2. Prevention is better than cure.

How much of what we are seeing is it man-made?

They have the culture of consuming everything. In animals, they eat almost everything.

In Islam there is an understanding of halal and tayyib (pure). This applies to what we eat, how we farm, how we look after and transport livestock etc. There is certainly Divine wisdom in this that we may or may not be aware of.

Many practices these days are far from normal.

Back in the 90’s there was an outbreak of mad cow disease. It was later shown to be the result of producers, under pressure to make cheaper meat, grinding up the remains of dead livestock and feeding it back to their herds to save money on grain.

Eating Halal and eating pure is the best prevention.

Islam institutes basic hygiene that prevents transmission is well known to all of us.

‘Whenever the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sneezed, he would cover his mouth with his hand or a piece of cloth...’ (at-Tirmidhi).

Washing hands, wudhu, ghusl, and personal hygiene are all strong aspects of Islam.

3. Is this Punishment, test or reminder? With concept of enjoin the good and forbid the evil

The inevitable question that always arises is why?

Is this Allah’s ﷻ punishment on a people for their disobedience and oppression upon others? Especially considering what the Chinese government is doing to Uyghur Muslims?

Is He ﷻ testing the Chinese people so that they may return to His remembrance?

Is He ﷻ reminding the Muslims of His power? Or responding to the dua of the oppressed? Or highlighting how the Muslim rulers have truly failed the Uyghurs and how utterly useless they are? Or that we all too need to take heed before trials befall us?

It could be any or all of these.

 Abu Sa`eed Al-Khudri  reported: The Messenger of Allah  said, "Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is yet unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith". [Muslim]

Nu`aman Ibn Basheer, May Allah be pleased with him, reported: The Prophet (SAW) said: "The likeness of the man who observes the limits prescribed by Allah and that of the man who transgresses them is like a group of people who get on board a ship after casting lots. Some of them are in its lower deck and some of them in its upper (deck). Those who are in its lower (deck), when they require water, go to the occupants of the upper deck, and say to them: `If we make a hole in the bottom of the ship, we shall not harm you.' If they (the occupants of the upper deck) leave them to carry out their design they all will be drowned. But if they do not let them go ahead (with their plan), all of them will remain safe". [Al-Bukhari]

We learn from this Hadeeth that the consequences of committing acts that are forbidden in Islam are not confined only to those persons who commit them, but the whole society has to suffer the consequences. It is, therefore, essential that the people who are in the habit of committing sinful acts and violate Divine injunctions, should be checked to save the whole society from destruction. If this is not done, the entire society will have to face the Divine punishment.

The Prophet  said, "Beware of sitting on roads (paths).'' The audience said: "We have them as sitting places.'' The Messenger  said, "If you have to sit there, then observe the rights of the way". They asked, "What are the rights of the way?'' He  said, "To lower your gaze (on seeing what is illegal to look at), removal of harmful objects from the way, returning greetings, and enjoining good and forbidding wrong". [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

A Muslim should always take heed. Be fearful of Allah’s ﷻ punishment, be reminded of his shortcomings and push ahead to bear his responsibilities according to his capabilities.

4. Finding a cure.

The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘“There is no disease that Allah has sent down except that He also has sent down its treatment.’ (Bukhari).

Unfortunately, we do not think of Muslims at the forefront of medicine. But there was a time that we were. This ummah invented hospitals and trained doctors.

The state and rulers saw it their duty to look after their citizens.

Khalifah Umar al Khattab (ra) said: ‘If a lost sheep under my care were to die on the banks of the Euphrates, I would expect Allah the Exalted to question me about it on the Day of Resurrection.” (Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 137)

If that was his view of the animals, what do you think his concern for humans was?

Our scientists were motivated by Allah’s ﷻ reward,

وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَآ أَحْيَا ٱلنَّاسَ جَمِيعًا َ

‘If anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.’ (al Maeda 32)

Sadly, today in the absence of Islam, it is all about the money. ‘Third world’ and poor man’s diseases are not considered worth spending money on. At least that is, if it doesn’t spread!

We’ve seen this time and time again with previous outbreaks. For instance, Ebola has been around for 40 years and vaccines could have been developed but weren’t because it was seen as an African problem.

Private pharmaceutical companies only invest in that which will make them profit. It is no wonder that there is so much inequality in health where ‘the rich get the best care,’ and ‘the poor are left to die.’

Conclusion

These are just some ideas that can be raised among our children and adults to show Islam’s relevance to today’s problem. To educate. To assure. To inspire.

1. Islam has given guidance for everything

2. Prevention is better than cure.

3. Is this Punishment, test or reminder? With the concept of enjoin the good and forbid the evil

4. Finding a cure.

قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَآ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَىٰنَا وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ

Say: "Nothing shall ever happen to us except what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Maula (Lord, Helper, and Protector)." And in Allah let the believers put their trust.’ (Tauba 51)

KHUTBAH HELD AT ALBAYAAN ARABIC FOUNDATION ON 31/01/2020

THANKS TO ALL THE BROTHERS WHO HELP ME TO WRITE THIS KHUTBAH