Q & A related to the Coronavirus Pandemic

(April 1, 2020)

We have been afflicted with the Coronavirus pandemic? Did we do anything wrong?

We should keep in mind 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. There is a mention of epidemics is Surat al-A’raf:

فَأَرْسَلْنَا عَلَيْهِمُ الطُّوفَانَ وَالْجَرَادَ وَالْقُمَّلَ وَالضَّفَادِعَ وَالدَّمَ آَيَاتٍ مُفَصَّلَاتٍ فَاسْتَكْبَرُوا وَكَانُوا قَوْمًا مُجْرِمِينَ

“So We sent down on them floods, locusts, lice, frogs and blood - signs, clear and distinct, but they proved arrogant and were an evil doing people” (al-A’raf, 7:133).

Also, we ought to know that human life is full of tests, trials, and struggles. 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 وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

“We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits. And give good news to those who are patient.” (al-Baqarah, 2:155)

Calamities are meant to warn the people so that they realize the terrible consequences of their disobedience and their deviation from the straight path.

As Muslims, we believe that every calamity has benefits in this life and the next, and a believer has the potential to always come out a winner no matter what the circumstances, if his or her faith, intentions, and frame of mind are correct.

For those believers who may die from a plague, their reward in the hereafter is immense as their death equals in reward to the death of a martyr.

There is another very important point that the Qur’an reminds us about when it says:

وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَّا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنكُمْ خَاصَّةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

“Beware of a trial that will not only affect the wrongdoers among you. And know that Allah is severe in punishment.” (al-Anfal, 8:25)

When people, societies, and nations indulge in evils without any sense of shame and even go around boasting their immoral deeds, when good people adopt a passive attitude and are content with being righteous merely in their own lives and are unconcerned with or silent about collective evils, then the entire society invites its doom. Such a society then becomes the victim of a divine punishment that does not distinguish between the grain and the chaff.

There are questions about the rulings of congregational prayers, Jumu’ah prayer, funeral prayer and burial procedures  under the present conditions when mosques around the country have been shut down to prevent spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.

InshaAllah, it is best to go through the rulings made by the fuqaha’ touching upon these issues. Here in America, fatwas have been published by the ‘Fiqh Council of North America,’ ‘Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America,’ ‘Islamic Society of North America,’ ‘Imams Council of Michigan’ and other Islamic religious organizations. Alhamdulillah, basically, they are all similar in line with one another.

The suspension of the communal prayers in the Masajid is a necessary matter in light of the overall goals of the Shariah. Of the primary goals of the Shariah is the preservation of life, and this ban is not a ban on actual prayer but on the communal prayer. This suspension should remain until medical experts give indications that it can be lifted. This is a matter for medical experts to assess, not religious authorities.

While in-person activities should be suspended, sermons and religious lectures can and should be delivered online and made accessible to the community.

The Shariah has the flexibility to address all times and circumstances. Allah has said: “He has placed no hardship upon you in religion (22:78).” And our beloved Prophet (SAW) has said: “What I have commanded you, do as much of it as your are able to.”

If it is not possible to give wash (Ghusl) to the deceased, Tayammum may be performed for them. However, it is forbidden (haram) under all circumstances to cremate a Muslim. The funeral prayer (ṣalat al-janazah) can be performed anywhere, including in the graveyard itself, and there is no minimum that is required. Hence, in case larger congregations are not possible, even one person can pray if need be, and it will constitute a valid funeral prayer.

Is it permissible to do salah while wearing the face mask?

Just as it is permissible for pilgrims to wear face masks during the hajj rites to protect themselves from air borne infectious diseases, likewise, it is permissible to follow the opinion of scholars who maintain permissibility of wearing face mask while performing salah due to necessity, because the preservation of life is one of the objectives of the Shariah.  

Can we use alcohol-based hand sanitizer?

There is no problem to use alcohol-based hand sanitizer or hand-gloves as a means of protection against infection that can lead to infectious diseases. It is the consumption of alcohol that is prohibited, not the touching of it. That is why we see that many scholars of Islamic Law (fuqaha’) allow the use of alcohol-based scents and perfumes which we apply on our bodies and garments. 

Will I need to do wudu again if I use hand sanitizer?

One of the main conditions of salah is taharah, i.e., purification from major and minor impurities. So as long as the person is in a state of purity, then there is no need to do wudu again if one already has wudu.

Were there any special circumstances during Prophet's time that people had to perform salah at their homes?

There are examples in the Prophetic traditions which set a precedent for praying at home due to heavy rain and potential harm. No one is authorized to criticize the decision he made and the example he set. The Prophet (SAW) when given an option between two things chose the easier of them out of concern for the people, not desiring to put them through hardship.

Are the wordings of the azan changed when people were told to pray in their homes?

Yes, the wordings “Hayya alas-Salah,” meaning “come to prayer” were changed to sallu fi buyutikum or sallu fi diyarikum, meaning “pray in your homes,” or kama Qaal or as he (SAW) said.

If I pray fard salah at home, will I get the same reward that I would get performing the salah in the Masjid?

According to Prophetic traditions, the reward for men praying in the Masjid in congregation is 25 times and according to some traditions 27 times more than praying alone. But for women, a hadith says: “The best places of prayer for women are the innermost parts of their houses.” But since Allah does not differentiate between a woman and a man as far as giving them rewards is concerned, they both will be rewarded equally inshaAllah according to their intentions and actions.

So, If the person who was in the habit of praying at the Masjid in congregation and is not able to do so now because of closure of the Masajid or because of social distancing which is mandatory, as of now, then it is hoped from the grace and bounty of Allah that He would reward that person as if he was praying in congregation in the masjid. And Allah knows best.

Will I get hasana if I stay at home?

Constantly staying at home without going out requires patience (sabr). Allah says that He is with the patient ones and rewards them for their patience. Under the present conditions even the rulings given by Muslim jurists advise Muslims to stay at home, and to respect the directive of the government to remain in one’s house until further notice, unless there is an urgent need to go out of the house. Rulings and regulations imposed by authorities for the good and safety of the community, especially when such rulings do not conflict with Islamic principles, must be obeyed. It is hoped that the patience that is required to stay locked down in houses will be counted as hasana and rewarded by Allah (SWT) because He is most compassionate, most merciful.   

A sister has asked: My aunt and cousins have moved into our house. Do I need to put hijab in front of my cousin brother?

Since the cousin brother is not among the category of relatives who are mehram, meaning with whom marriage is prohibited, the ruling for hijab has to be observed.

We are getting lots of different supplications (du’as) from different sources. What du’as can be made under the present circumstances of the Coronavirus pandemic?

Allah says in the Qur’an:

ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ

“Call on me. I will respond to you.” (al-Ghafir, 40:60)

We should make du’a to Allah in our own words, with our feelings, in our hearts. However, there are many du’as that the Prophet (SAW) has taught us for different occasions. There are also du’as made by other prophets of Allah in situations of difficulties; Ayyub, Yunus, Yusuf, Ibrahim, Musa (peace be upon them) just to name a few, These du’as are mentioned in the Qur’an. There are also books that have collection of du’as in them. One such book is: ‘The Fortress of the Muslim’ or ‘Hisni Muslim.’ You can also ask your Imam to send these du’as to your communities and inshaAllah, hearts will find peace in remembering Allah through these du’as not only in trying times such as now, but also in normal times. It is best to make du’as to Allah in the way taught to us by our beloved Prophet (SAW).

• Prev
• Next