Six Points Regarding the Coronavirus

Many people are speaking these days about a disease that they are fearful of, afraid of its propagation as well as being afflicted with it. There are those who speak about it in jest, there are those that are deeply concerned about it and sincerely caution others, and other than that from the different types of speech revolving around this disease.

What is obligatory upon the Muslim, in every time and place, and in every type of calamity and affliction, is to seek refuge in Allāh ﷻ, and that when he begins to speak about this affair, its remedy and its treatment, he should do so upon the basis of the legislative foundations, and upon fear of Allāh ﷻ, knowing that He is watching over him.

These are six points regarding this affair, that has shaped the lives of the people during these days, and they are of extreme importance:

The first point:

It is obligatory upon every Muslim to seek refuge in Allāh ﷻ in all his affairs and to truly rely upon Him believing that all of his affairs are in His Hands.

No calamity befalls, but with the leave [i.e. decision and Qadar (Divine Preordainments)] of Allāh, and whosoever believes in Allāh, He guides his heart. 64:11

All of the affairs are in the Hands of Allāh, under His management and subjugation. Whatever He decrees will happen and whatever He doesn’t decree won’t happen and there is no protector except Allāh.

Say: "Who is it that can protect you from Allāh if He intends to harm you, or intends to have mercy (i.e. goodness) upon you?” 33:17

If Allāh intended some harm for me, could they remove His harm, or if He (Allāh) intended mercy for me, could they withhold His Mercy?" 39:38

Whatever of mercy (i.e. of good), Allāh may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. 35:2

And it states in the Hadīth:

Know that if the people gathered to benefit you, they will not benefit you unless Allāh has decreed it for you. And if the people gathered together to harm you, they will not harm you unless Allāh has decreed it for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.

And in another Hadīth:

Allāh has written the decree of all the creation before He created the heavens and the earth by fifty-thousand years.

And it states in another Hadīth:

The first thing that Allāh created was the pen. So, He said to it: Write. It said: What do I write O my Lord? He said: Write the decree of everything until the establishment of the Hour.

So, it is obligatory upon every Muslim to delegate his affairs to Allāh, with sincere hope and true reliance. His well-being, remedy and safety should not be hoped for except from Allāh, the Blessed and the Most High. So, calamites and epidemics will only increase him/her in turning to Allāh in dependence and reliance.

And whoever holds firmly to Allāh, (i.e. follows Islam Allāh's Religion, and obeys all that Allāh has ordered, practically), then he is indeed guided to a Right Path. 3:101

The second point:

Indeed, it is obligatory upon every Muslim to preserve the boundaries set by Allāh ﷻ by being obedient to Him, carrying out His commandments and staying away from His prohibitions. The Prophet ﷺ said in his admonition to Ibn ‘Abbās:

Preserve [the boundaries of Allāh] and He will preserve you. Preserve [the boundaries of Allāh] and you will find Him before you. 

Preserving the commandments of Allāh by carrying out what He commanded and staying away from what He has prohibited is a means for the slave’s protection, well-being, and Allāh’s preservation of his worldly and afterlife. So, if a calamity afflicts him or if harm befalls him, it will only be an elevation for him before Allāh. Regarding this, our Prophet ﷺ said:

Amazing is the affair of the Believer. Indeed, all of his affairs are good, and this is only the case for the Believer. If something good happens to him, he is grateful and this is good for him. If a calamity afflicts him, he is patient and this is good for him.

So, the Believer, in times of goodness and hardship, and times of difficulty and ease, is transitioning from one good to another. And this is as our Prophet ﷺ said:

…and this is only the case for the believer.

The third point:

Indeed, the Legislation of Islām encourages us to take the necessary means and to seek treatment, and that using medicine and seeking treatment doesn’t negate true reliance upon Allāh ﷻ.

The treatment that the Legislation of Islām came with is of two types:

1. Preventive measures that are taken before illness.
2. And the treatment, which are measures taken after illness.

The Legislation came with both, and it has come with the foundations of treating and remedying which will establish the Muslims safety and well-being in his worldly life and his Hereafter.

Whoever reads the book: ‘The Prophetic Medicine’ by the great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allāh have mercy upon him), will find wonders in what the Legislation of Islām came with, and in what has been authenticated from the Noble Messenger in regards to this topic ﷺ.

So in regards to the preventive measures, our Prophet ﷺ says:

Whoever eats seven ‘Ajwah dates in the morning, neither poison nor sorcery will harm him that day.

It has also been reported in the Hadīth of ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allāh be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:

Whoever says every morning and every evening:

 

In the Name of Allāh, with Whose Name nothing can harm on the earth nor the heavens, and He is the All-Hearing and the All-Seeing.

Three times will not be harmed.

And he ﷺ said:

Whoever reads the last two verses from Sūrah al-Baqarah in the night, it will suffice him.

Meaning: from all diseases and evil.

And it has been reported in the Hadiīth of ‘Abdullāh ibn Khubayb (may Allāh be pleased with him), that he said:

We went out one dark rainy night requesting from the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ to lead us in prayer. So when we came across him, he said:

 

Say:

But I didn’t say anything. Then he said:

Say:

But I didn’t say anything. Then he said:

Say:

I said: What do I say? He said:

Read: Sūrah al-Ikhlas, Sūrah al-Falaq and Sūrah al-Nās in the evening and in the morning three times, it will suffice you from everything [evil].

And it has also been reported ﷺ in the Hadīth of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar that he would never leave off these supplications in the morning and in the evening:

O Allāh, indeed I ask You for well-being in the worldly life and the Hereafter.

 

O Allāh, indeed I ask You for pardon and well-being in my religion and in my worldly life, in my family and my wealth.

O Allāh conceal my weakness and set at ease my dismay.

O Allāh preserve me from my front and back, from my right and left and from above. And I seek refuge with Your Magnificence from being swallowed up from beneath me.

And in this supplication is complete fortification and protection for the slave from every angle.

And in regards to the treatment, tremendous guidance and noble advice have come from the Prophet ﷺ, and various remedies have been explained in his Sunnah ﷺ, and this expansive topic has been elaborated upon in the book Zād al-Ma’ād by Ibn al-Qayyim.

The fourth point:

It is obligatory upon every Muslim not be influenced by false rumors, because some people in these situations circulate matters or mention things that are neither correct nor true, and they circulate it amongst people causing fear and panic with no basis nor justification for it.

So, it is not befitting for the Muslim to be influenced by the rumors and the likes of this because this diminishes his complete belief, certainty and true reliance upon Allāh ﷻ.

The fifth point:

Indeed, calamities that afflict the Muslim, regardless if they concern his health, his family, his wealth, his business or the likes, if he faces them with patience, seeking reward from Allāh, then this will be an elevation for him before Allāh ﷻ.

Allāh, the Most High said:

And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.). Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allāh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." They are those on whom are the Salawat (i.e. blessings, etc.) (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones. 2:155-157

So Allāh, the Blessed and Most High shall test His slave so He can hear his complaint, his supplication, and see his patience and contentment with what has been decreed upon him. Indeed, He, the Most High sees His slaves when a calamity befalls them, and He knows the fraud of the eyes and what the hearts conceal. So, He recompenses the slave for his intentions.

Therefore, whoever has been afflicted with an illness or some sort of harm, or loss of wealth, or the likes of these, it is upon him to seek the reward from Allāh and to meet this calamity with patience and contentment so that he could attain the reward of the patient. And whoever has been relieved should praise Allāh so that he can attain the reward of the grateful.

The sixth point:

Indeed the greatest calamity is the calamity that affects the religion. This is the greatest calamity in this worldly life and the Hereafter. And this is the upmost loss that comes with no profit and this is the deprivation that comes with no hope.

So if the Muslim remembers this when he is afflicted in his health or wealth, let him praise Allāh for the safety of his religion.

Al-Bayhaqī narrated in Shu’ab al-Īmān from Shurayh al-Qādhī that he said:

Indeed, If I am afflicted with a calamity, I praise Allāh for it four times:

1. I praise Him that it wasn’t worse than it could’ve been.
2. I praise Him for granting me patience upon it.
3. I praise Him for allowing me to say the Istirjā’ (Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.) for what I hope for reward from it
4. and I praise Him that He didn’t make it a calamity in my religion.

I ask Allāh to protect us all with His protection and to favor us with pardon and well-being in our religion, our worldly life, our families and our wealth. Indeed, He is All-Hearing, the Ever-Near Who responds to supplications.