Why Muslim adherents are not afraid of COVID-19

The caption sounds strange and naive in the sense that nobody is presumably immune to the COVID-19 and its occasioned danger resulting in fatality and death of its victim. The virus, which is technically coded covid-19 and popularly known as corona-virus does not generally-as it were- distinguish on the basis of religion, race and/or environment […]

The caption sounds strange and naive in the sense that nobody is presumably immune to the COVID-19 and its occasioned danger resulting in fatality and death of its victim. The virus, which is technically coded covid-19 and popularly known as corona-virus does not generally-as it were- distinguish on the basis of religion, race and/or environment and this fact alone makes that assumption an aberration!

The assumption is quiet unbelivable and laughable at the same time for obvious reasons. However, in reality the contrary is the true picture of the state of Muslims minds and hearts for many reasons which I will explain in due course.

The world political and organisational leaders (United Nations (UN) & World Health Organisation, WHO included) captains of industries, medical scientists and practitioners -despite astronomical advancement in science and technology and previously unheard-of spending on Research and Development R&D- with this leap frog currently enjoyed by these experts- they have helplessly fallen-short to come up with new measures and precautionary steps to stem the tide of COVID-19 spread, which Muslims are not privy to since 1441 years ago (about 630 AD) taught by Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him in precise details and nature as adopted today in the year 2020.

If we were in Academic circle, today’s adopted measures would have been adjudged as plagiarism of Prophet Muhammad’s work and he would have single-handedly taken the credit.

1. Total lock down

Let us look at the first and most draconian measure of lockdown of all borders and entries, which is generally accepted and regarded as most effective measure to put a halt to the spread because it stagnates the virus in the affected community and thus containing the damage in one place that subsequently kills the infected people and saves the world or the infected eventually survive the virus and reunite with the outside world.

It is worthy of mentioning that Prophet Muhammad had not witnessed a plague in his life but still provided his containing measures, that in itself is a point to reckon with.

The Prophet Muhammad had provided this measure in the collection of Bukhari and Muslim which reads as follows-

Sa’d reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “If you hear of a plague in a land, then do not go into it. If it happens in land where you are, then do not go out of it.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5396, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2218.

In another narration it reads:

Aisha reported: She asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, about plagues and he said, “It is a punishment that Allah sends upon whoever he wills, but Allah has made it a mercy for the believers. Any servant who resides in a land afflicted by plague, remaining patient and hoping for reward from Allah, knowing that nothing will befall him but what Allah has decreed, he will be given the reward of a martyr.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5402

2. Stay at home/self isolation measure

This is the second most effective measure because it stagnates the virus even more and consequently kills the infected person in isolation or he survives the virus and reunite with the outside world.

3. Personal hygiene.

Wash your hands and surfaces regularly.

It is conspicuously certain to any reader of Islamic teachings that the religion has placed much emphasis on personal hygiene and principally hand-washing. Muslim adherent is enjoined to wash his hands in many occasions and junctures not less than 18 times a day apart from special instructions to wash hands first off in the morning and lastly before going to bed and before and after every meal.

The messenger of Allah said-

160. When one of you awakens from sleep, he should not dip his hands into the vessel until he washes them three times. Verily He does not know where his hands spent the night. Sahih Bukhari 160. Muslim 278

Plus, general instructions for Muslims to wash their hands in ablutions 15 times a day and after intercourse and after eating camel meat and so on and so forth.

4. Do not touch or mingle with infected persons and surfaces.

Quran has subtly shed light on the fact that it is quite possible to contract a disease or virus by touching or mingling with infected person or surface. This could be found in the chapter 20 vs 97 where it says (Then go. And indeed, it is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say, ‘No contact.’)

Qurdubi has reported in his book Aljami li Ahkamil Quran, that Samiri was banished and was ordered to tell any one that comes his way that ‘ no touching’ . According to Qurdubi anyone that touches him develops fever and shivering in his body.

This serves as clear indication that disease or ailment could be transmitted by touching a substance.

The Prophet of Allah said

1. ‘Runaway from a leper like you run away from lion. Bukhari
2. Do not mix the infected camels with sound ones. Bukhari

The aim of these warnings is to limit body contact to the barest minimum with the infected persons and surfaces and to create awareness that disease could be possibly transmitted in the process.

Based on these teachings, as reported by Ibn Al Athir in his book Alkamil fittarikh, Muslims were able to eradicate the first plague that hit them- Amwas plague -after the Prophet peace be upon him by evacuating people out of town to an open field and creating isolation centres where the infected people that showed any symptoms were isolated and separated from the healthy ones until their demise or survival.

5. Listen to doctors and nobody else and obey their orders.
6. Quran says ‘Ask the expert on whatever you have no knowledge of. Chp 16 verse 43
7. It also says ‘Consult them (expert) on imminent matters. Quran chp 3 verse 159.

This is the universal truth of survival that a successful leader always surrounds himself with experts. Because as the saying goes’ God is not magician’ and truly God does not use the magic wand to make things happens, otherwise it won’t take him 6 days to build heavens and earth according to Quran chp 50 verse 38 and Bible exodus 20:11

Allah requires us to work, to use our brains and uncover new things and gain experience so as to put every thing in its rightful place. And that is why as reported by Muslim when the messenger of Allah was told that date trees are yielding less fruits in Medina he asked them to go and meet the experts. He said you know better about your world!

Doctors are the experts in this crisis and thus all Muslim clerics and general public should heed their advice and abide by it.

So, the Muslims are not afraid of the COVID-19 because they already have the measures to counter its attack and I believe they should be the first to adhere to these measures before any one else to get a freely martyred reward, but unfortunately some unscrupulous Muslim clerics don’t work with these teachings.

Allah the Almighty says ‘And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your lord is the truth and it guides (them) to the path of the most exalted and owner of all praises. Quran Ch 34 vs 6.

Dr. Yusuf Rabiu., ABU Zaria  [email protected]