A) LIMIT SPREAD OF VIRUS AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASE:

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said : 

1. ” Do not enter into or leave from plague affected area” ( ref. Bukhari , hadith no. 5729). 

2. ” Staying home with patience during plague is very rewarding ” ( ref.  Musnad Ahmed, Hadith 26182 ). 

3. ” Sick person should not be allowed to be close to healthy person” ( ref. Bukhari 5328, Muslim 4117 ). 

4. ” It is not allowed to inflict harm to self or others ” ( Ibn Majah 2331). 

Above are from few references that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) introduced  1400 years ago as religious duty for containing infectious diseases. These are comparable to the appeal to ‘stay home’ and ‘ social distancing’ by modern scientists.  These are beneficial for all ; Muslims and non-Muslims. 

Professor Dr. Craig Considine at Rice University, USA, highlighted Muhammad’s (pbuh) theory of quarantining to contain the outbreak of deadly communicable disease with reference to CORONA VIRUS (COVID -19) in a recent tweet (March 17,2020). He stated Muhammad’s (pbuh) advise to his followers : ” If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place”, perfectly fits in the context of COVID-19 Pandemic.

This virus originated in China and spread all over the world by the travel of people. People carry the virus in them undetected, move from affected areas to un-affected areas and spread the virus there. 

B) TREATMENT : 

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said : ” Worshippers of Allah, use Medical Treatment ” (Tirmidhi , hadith no. 2170 ). 

Treatment shall be taken by consulting ‘Health Professional’. God directs to consult learned people : ” Ask the people of the message if you do not know” (Quran 21 : 7 ).

Taking care of health, cleanliness of body, personal hygiene, living in healthy environment and healthy eating; all help to protect us from such virus’s and live healthier in general. At the outbreak of the ‘CORONA VIRUS’ scientists are appealing to ensure these things. We hear these appeals in social media all over the world, specially for washing hands. Islam made all these rewarding religious duty for its followers.

Al-Quran states : “God loves those who purify themselves (by taking bath, cleaning and washing body thoroughly)” (2:222)”

Muslims need to wash exposed body organs like hands , face, head, feet etc  for five daily prayers without which prayer is not valid” (Ref  5 : 6).”

Allah instructed people to eat good food, avoid harmful food and overeating”  (ref. 2:168, 5: 3 ,7:31). 

CONCLUSION:

Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said : “Greatest benefit after ‘ Faith’ is health” (Tirmidhi). Islam has given execution of thee above ‘Health Guide’ status of Worship so that people can maintain good health. This ‘Health Guide’ is good for personal health and community health. If virus spreads, it affects all. It is the religious duty of every Muslim to follow this ‘ Health Guide’ for benefit in this world and reward in after life as well.It is also their duty to encourage others to follow this ‘Health Guide’ and also implement all ‘Health Regulations’ issued by government. These actions will help to come out from COVID-19 Pandemic, limit spread of such communicable virus in future and save many human lives. 

The above actions will ensure good health by God’s blessings. So parallel to actions, believers should remember Allah and Supplicate for His help to come out from ‘COVID- 19 PANDEMIC’. We should remember that a believer can expect God’s help if he obeys Allah in all affairs of life, do correction and seek forgivenees for mistakes, do his duty and then supplicate for help. This is the right way to success of believers in any situation.

Jazakallah,

Br. Syed Jalaluddin,
Canada