25/04/2020
How a Muslim should react to the COVID-19
There is no disease, which has no cure. Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment.”
In the Quran, Allah has stressed upon “Taqwah” (god-fearing) and “Tawakal” (reliance upon god). This is because a human can’t control certain things. There are a plethora of things, which are beyond the control of a Homosapien; at this time what one should do? As per, Islam one should strengthen one’s beliefs regarding death, calamity, happiness, respect honer, disrespect as all of them come from Allah Almighty.
As per Islamic sayings, Allah loves a person much more than his mother does. Islam is the religion of love and peace. Therefore, how can the one who loves you will make you suffer? Allah is love and He loves His creation. Now the question arises if He Loves us then why we face predicaments, such as coronavirus? Well, a human has limited knowledge. We do not know what is beyond the wall. We are hasty, we do not puzzle out what is Sabr (patience).
Prophet Muhammad about a Viral disease
Narrated `Aisha: (the wife of the Prophet) that she asked Allah’s Apostle about the plague and Allah’s Apostle informed her saying, Plague was a punishment which Allah used to send on whom He wished, but Allah made it a blessing for the believers. None (among the believers) remains patient in a land in which plague has broken out and considers that nothing will befall him except what Allah has ordained for him, but that Allah will grant him a reward similar to that of a martyr. SAHIH BUKHARI HADITH NO. 5734.
In light of the above Hadith, Plague (plague here refers to any pandemic disease) is a blessing for the believers and the one who dies owing to the viral disease is a martyr.
Moreover, according to Islam, everything comes from the Almighty; death is written, a believer must not fear anything as his life is in the hands of Allah. Notwithstanding, the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) has forbidden people from going to an area where an epidemic has broken out. This means, undoubtedly life and death are in the hands of Allah but taking protective measures is necessary. Therefore, we must take precautionary steps regarding coronavirus, and on the other hand, we must not fear anything except Allah.