الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين
Assalamu alaikum everyone! I hope and pray that all of you are in the best of health and in the best state of iman and amn – faith, safety and security. Today is Friday, and the time for Jumu’ah prayer has set in. However, my talk at this time is not a khutbah of Jummah because we have not assembled in the Masjid to listen to the khutbah and offer Salat ul Jumu’ah. Right now, most of us are in our homes.
Our hearts are saddened because Masajid across the world including here in North America have been shut down as a result of preventive measures against the Coronavirus pandemic. This is a sound and sensible measure from a logical point of view. This is what common sense and the Shariah both call for.
However, this does not change the spiritual sadness that surrounds us. Our Masajid – the most beloved of all places on earth have been shut down, temporarily at least. The congregational prayers, the dhikr, and recitation of the Qur’an have come to a halt in our Masajid. This means that we need to convert our houses into places of worship. We need to fortify our homes with the remembrance of Allah (SWT). We need to raise our voices with the Qur’an inside our homes. The worship of Allah must continue with even more passion and enthusiasm.
My talk today is on the topic: “Trials are a part of life.” Alhamdulillah! We are blessed to have a deen – a way of life that is complete and perfect for all times. We also have in our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the best of examples for mankind. Whatever problem or issue a Muslim faces, he or she should turn back to Allah and his Messenger for guidance.
There is nothing that happens in the life of a Muslim except that the deen of Islam has a solution to it. We are presently confronted with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) which has spread across the entire globe, affecting the lives of many people and causing death to many, not to speak of the world economy that has been hit hard by it.
We should keep in mind, however, that plagues, wars, and natural disasters have been a part of life throughout human history and that these will remain a part of life on earth. We should also know that human life is full of tests, trials, and tribulations. Allah sends us tests to see how we react and how we respond to them.
وَلَنَبلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلخَوۡفِ وَٱلجُوعِ وَنَقصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلأَموَٲلِ وَٱلأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٲتِۗ
“We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits.” (al-Baqarah, 2:155)
The Qur’an also reminds us of our nature and our choices when it says:
“Surely man was created impatient. He panics whenever any evil touches him, and is stingy when good touches him; except those who pray; those who are constant in their prayers…” (al-Ma’arij, 70:19-23)
It is man’s nature or his natural weakness to be impatient. However, in many places in the Qur’an, after making mention of mankind’s common moral weaknesses, those who believe and adopt righteousness have been made an exception. That is why we are told in the Qur’an: وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ “And give good news to those who are patient.”(al-Baqarah, 2:155)
The natural state of human beings who are not aligned spiritually with the divine is anxiety – a fear that takes hold and a state of dissatisfaction with the way things are on earth. We live in an age of anxiety. This is attributed to our modern materialistic approach to life. The antidote to such a condition is true faith and the knowledge that everything comes from Allah. The Qur’an says:
قُل لَّن يُصِيبَنَا إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَنَا هُوَ مَوْلَانَا وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
“Say: “Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our protector”: and on Allah alone should believers put their trust.” (al-Tawbah, 9:51).
The Qur’an also tells us that those who turn to Allah in prayer in times of trouble and who are constant in their prayers and display high moral character recognize that these trials and tribulations emanate from our Lord for our benefit, whether known or unknown.
الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
“Those who say, when afflicted with a calamity, we belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.” (al-Baqarah, 2:156).
Just as athletes train in preparation for the test of tournaments; similarly, a believer’s prayer exercises his or her soul, so when the test comes, the prepared soul doesn’t just survive it but thrives in it. It experiences comfort and peace in the face of calamities.
For those who have been disobedient or whose souls are spiritually lifeless, these are excellent times to return to their Lord. Indeed, this is often the very purpose of trials and tribulations.
Health experts are saying that practicing good hygiene and quarantine in the hope of preventing the spread of contagious diseases are the most effective tools to contain Coronavirus.
Do you know who else suggested good hygiene and quarantine during an epidemic or pandemic? Muhammad (SAW) suggested it over 1400 years ago. While he was by no means an expert on matters of deadly diseases, yet he had sound advice to prevent and combat a development like COVID-19. He said in a hadith: “If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place.” He also said: “Those with contagious diseases should be kept away from those who are healthy.” He would encourage people to always seek medical treatment and medication. We are being told to wash our hands several times a day. A Prophetic tradition tells us: “Cleanliness is part of faith.”
It is amazing to learn that the Prophet (SAW) forbade even to curse a common ailment like fever by saying: “Do not curse fever because it abolishes sins like fire abolishes dirt from iron.”
We understand from this hadith that we should not curse any disease. Therefore, don’t curse the Coronavirus. It has brought back humanity. It has brought back people to their Creator and to their morals. It has closed down bars, night clubs, brothels, casinos and frivolous entertainment. It has brought down interest rates. It has brought families together. It has stopped lewd behavior. It has stopped many people from eating dead and forbidden animals. It has moved a lot of expenditure on military and defense to health care.
Coronavirus is pushing people to humble themselves. It is undermining dictators and their powers. Humans are now worshipping God rather than progress and technology. It is now making us stay at home, living simple lives, and thanking Allah for waking us up to reality and to giving us an opportunity to ask Him for His forgiveness and His help. There is a great lesson in this for those who are wise.
The Coronavirus pandemic is a reminder to us all of our weak state. Regardless of our social standing and our financial position, we are helpless. Allah says:
وَخُلِقَ الْإِنسَانُ ضَعِيفًا
“Mankind was created weak.” (an-Nisa’, 4:28).
Prayer is the greatest weapon against fear, panic, and despair. If anything troubled or alarmed the Prophet (SAW), he hastened to prayer. So let us see the opportunity and the blessing in these trying times. Follow guidelines; take sound measures, but feel secure.
We should always try to have a positive outlook regardless of the situation we are in. The Prophet (SAW) was a master of positivity. He said: “Amazing is the affair of the believer. Indeed, all of his affairs are good and this is not for anyone other than the believer. If something of good befalls him, he is grateful and that is good for him. If something of harm befalls him, he is patient and that is good for him.”
We need to turn back to Allah for He controls everything and He is the one who can relieve us from our difficulties. Besides practicing good hygiene, quarantine, and other preventive measures, we should also abide to what the Prophet (SAW) has taught us to protect ourselves by invoking Allah through different supplications:
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
“In the name of Allah with whose name nothing can harm on earth or in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing”
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ
“I seek refuge in the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created.”
أَعُوْذُ بِاللهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
“I seek refuge in Allah and His Power from the evil that afflicts me and that which I fear.”
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبَرَصِ وَالْجُنُونِ وَالْجُذَامِ وَمِنْ سَيِّئِ الأَسْقَامِ
“O Allah, I seek refuge in you from leukoderma, madness, leprosy, and evil diseases.”
May Allah (SWT) have mercy on the entire humanity. May He bless each one of us, and may He help us overcome difficulties, adversities, and calamities now, and always. Ameen.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
وَصَلَّ اللهُ عَلَى خيرِ خَلقِهِ مُحمَّدٍ وعَلَى آلِه وأصْحَابِه أجْمَعِين- بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا أرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِين
It’s time for Salat ul Dhuhr. So please perform the Dhuhr prayer in your homes or wherever you are. May Allah reward us as with a reward of praying in the Masjid in congregation.
