How to View Calamities from an Islamic Perspective

Transcript of the Friday Khutbah delivered by Dr. Munawar Haque on Feb 14, 2020

My dear brothers and sisters! There is a lot of discussion going on these days about the epidemic of Coronavirus. This virus was recently identified in the city of Wuhan in China. Additional cases have been identified in a growing number of other international locations. It is reported that as of now, there is no vaccine to prevent Coronavirus. Studies are going on to learn more about this virus in order to control it.

Some Muslims are saying that the origination and spread of the Coronavirus in China is a divine punishment for the atrocities committed against Uighur Muslims. We should avoid making such sweeping statements as we do not know all the facts and we are not fully aware of the wisdom of Allah (SWT)! Such remarks portray Islam negatively and may take non-Muslims further away from understanding Islam correctly.

How should we, as Muslims react to the situation? How should any epidemic or calamity be viewed from an Islamic perspective? This is the topic of my khutba today.

Many centuries before the advancement of modern sciences, Islam talked about the importance of cleanliness, personal hygiene, consuming halal food, quarantine etc which are vital to prevention and spread of epidemic diseases. Only if we Muslims become responsible and showcase these teachings of Islam with wisdom, many people will be attracted towards Islam.

Let us for example share the scientific benefits of eating halal food because treating our bodies with wholesome foods free of harmful ingredients — germs, toxins, pollutants, filth, etc. — is not only desired by Muslims but by whole of humanity. Everyone can benefit from consuming halal foods and avoiding what is not halal.

Let us also share the scientific benefits of halal way of slaughtering the animal. The halal way preserves the link between heart and brain of the animal by which the heart keeps pumping until all the blood from the body is drained out and the meat is left without any contamination. By slaughtering the animal in the non-halal way, the blood does not drain out of the animal’s body and leaves the meat impure. This clotted blood ruins the freshness of the meat and can become the cause for multiple illnesses when consumed by humans.

It is our faith that nothing happens without the permission of Allah and He is aware of all things. Let us not forget that the virus is also a creation of Allah. He may use it as He wills. It can be a trial for the patient believers or a punishment for the transgressors. So, let us be more mindful of our Creator – Allah (SWT). If it was not for His mercy, things could quickly, easily and horribly go wrong for mankind. But, Alhamdulillah! Allah’s mercy prevails over His wrath. A Hadith Qudsi tells us:

لَمَّا قَضَى اللَّهُ الْخَلْقَ كَتَبَ فِي كِتَابِهِ فَهُوَ عِنْدَهُ فَوْقَ الْعَرْشِ إِنَّ رَحْمَتِي غَلَبَتْ غَضَبِي 

“When Allah decreed the creation, he wrote in his Book with him on his Throne: My mercy prevails over my wrath.”  

It was more than 1400 years ago that mother of the believers - ‘Aisha (RA) asked the Prophet (SAW) about plague (Ta’un) – an epidemic disease that causes high mortality. He replied: “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.” And he (SAW) said: “The plague is a calamity that was sent upon the Children of Israel, or upon those who came before you. If you hear of it in some land, do not go there, and if it breaks out in a land where you are, do not leave, fleeing from it.” This hadith indicates that the prohibition applies specifically to one who leaves the land where the plague or epidemic is occurring, in order to flee or escape from it. As for one who leaves for any other purpose, such as trade, study or work, the prohibition does not apply to him. Most scholars are agreed on this opinion.

Although these ahadith are about the plague, this rule can be applied to any of the contagious diseases or epidemics. And this latest outbreak of Coronavirus is one of them. So what do the believers do? First of all, believers should not panic. They should stay calm and place their trust in Allah, knowing that nothing can harm or benefit them except with Allah’s permission.

The Prophet (SAW) said: “Everything has a reality, and the servant will not reach the reality of faith until he knows that what afflicted him could never miss him, and that what missed him could never have afflicted him.”

Also, we must read our morning and evening adhkar. If we read the adhkar that the Prophet (SAW) told us to read every morning and every evening, we will be under Allah’s protection against all kinds of harm such as magic, evil eye, diseases and sicknesses. These adhkar are like a fortress surrounding us from all sides and protecting us with the permission of Allah.

There is a hadith that tells us: “There is no one who says in the morning of every day and the evening of every night three times,

بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذِيْ لا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلا فِي الْسَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيْعُ الْعَلِيْمُ

nothing will harm him.” The meaning of this dhikr is: “In the name of Allah with Whose name nothing can harm on earth or in heaven and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing,” This is one of the great adhkar that the Muslim should recite every morning and evening, so that he may be protected against being struck by a sudden calamity or disastrous harm or the like. 

The Prophet (SAW) is also reported to have said: “Say: Qul Huwallahu Ahad (Surat al-Ikhlas) and al-Mu‘awwidhatayn (Surat al-Falaq and Surat an-Nas) three times every evening and every morning, and they will suffice you against everything.” Abu al-Darda (RA) said:

مَنْ قَالَ إِذَا أَصْبَحَ وَإِذَا أَمْسَى حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ سَبْعَ مَرَّاتٍ كَفَاهُ اللَّهُ مَا أَهَمَّهُ صَادِقًا كَانَ بِهَا أَوْ كَاذِبًا ‏‏

“If anyone says seven times morning and evening: Allah is sufficient for me, there is no god but He, in Him have I put my trust and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne, Allah will be sufficient for him against anything which concerns him, whether he is true or false in (repeating) them.

Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (RA) said: “The Prophet (SAW) never failed to say these supplications when evening came and when morning came:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّـي أسْـأَلُـكَ العـافِـيةَ في الدُّنْـيا وَالآخِـرَة ، اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّـي أسْـأَلُـكَ العَـفْوَ وَالعـافِـيةَ في ديني وَدُنْـيايَ وَأهْـلي وَمالـي ، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُـرْ عـوْراتي وَآمِـنْ رَوْعاتـي ، اللَّهُمَّ احْفَظْـني مِن بَـينِ يَدَيَّ وَمِن خَلْفـي وَعَن يَمـيني وَعَن شِمـالي ، وَمِن فَوْقـي ، وَأَعـوذُ بِعَظَمَـتِكَ أَن أُغْـتالَ مِن تَحْتـي

“O Allah, I ask You for well-being (afiyah) in this world and in the Hereafter. O Allah, I ask You for forgiveness and well-being in my faith, my worldly affairs, my family and my wealth. O Allah, conceal my faults and protect me from that which causes me to worry. O Allah, protect me from before me and from behind me, from my right and from my left, and from above me, and I seek refuge in Your greatness lest I be destroyed from beneath me.”

أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ وَلِسَائِرِ المُسْلِمينَ وَالمُسْلِمَاتْ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهْ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين

It is reported that Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakrah said to his father: “O my father, I hear you supplicating every morning (saying),

اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَدَنِي اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي سَمْعِي اللَّهُمَّ عَافِنِي فِي بَصَرِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ

and you repeat it three times in the morning and three times in the evening.” He said: Yes, O my son; I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) supplicating with (these words) and I like to follow his Sunnah.”

The meaning of this dua is: “O Allah, grant me soundness in my body; O Allah, grant me soundness in my hearing; O Allah, grant me soundness in my sight, there is no god but You.”

One of the du’as of the Prophet (SAW) used to be:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ ، وَتَحَوُّلِ عَافِيَتِكَ ، وَفُجَاءَةِ نِقْمَتِكَ ، وَجَمِيعِ سَخَطِكَ

“O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the withdrawing of Your blessing, and the loss of the well-being that You granted me, and the sudden onset of Your wrath, and anything that may lead to Your displeasure.” Anas (RA) said that the Prophet (SAW) used to say:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ الْبَرَصِ وَالْجُنُونِ وَالْجُذَامِ وَمِنْ سَيِّئْ الْأَسْقَامِ

“O Allah, I seek refuge with you from leprosy, and from insanity, and from paralysis, and from evil diseases.” One of the scholars says: “The reason why he did not seek refuge with Allah from sicknesses in general terms is that some sicknesses may be easy to bear but bring a great deal of reward if one bears them with patience and they are not chronic, such as fevers, headaches and inflammations of the eye. Rather the hadith is seeking refuge with Allah  from chronic sickness, which can lead a person into a situation where a close friend will flee from him and he will not have many people around him to comfort him and take care of him, and – moreover – may carry a great deal of stigma.”

Brothers and sisters! Always thank Allah. The Prophet (SAW) said:

‏مَنْ فَجِئَهُ صَاحِبُ بَلاَءٍ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي عَافَانِي مِمَّا ابْتَلاَكَ بِهِ وَفَضَّلَنِي عَلَى كَثِيرٍ مِمَّنْ خَلَقَ تَفْضِيلاً - عُوفِيَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْبَلاَءِ كَائِنًا مَا كَانَ ‏

 “Whoever unexpectedly comes across a person suffering a calamity, and says: “Praise be to Allah who has kept me safe from that which has afflicted you and preferred me over many of those whom He has created, will be kept safe from that calamity, no matter what it is.”

When you leave home, say the following Prophetic dua every time you leave home and you’ll be protected against all harm. The dua is:

باسْمِ اللَّهِ ، تَوَكَّلْتُ على اللَّهِ ، وَلاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ باللَّهِ

“In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah and there is no power and no strength except with Allah.”  It will be said to him: “You are taken care of and you are protected and guided, and the devils will move away

from him…..”

Of course, besides these precious adhkar, our common sense dictates that the general precautions and protective measures against viruses should be taken. These are everyday habits that can help prevent the spread of several viruses and can be followed per advice and recommendations of the WHO, the CDC, and other health care organizations. Some of these preventive actions include: avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, washing your hands often with soap and water especially after going to the bathroom and  before eating; covering your cough or sneeze, staying home when sick, and so on.

The number of people infected with Coronavirus is increasing. Let us pray for their fast recovery and also for the swift control of this virus and other viruses. May Allah (SWT) protect us all from all kinds of diseases – physical, mental, and spiritual.  Ameen

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