Illnesses, whether minor or major, are among the tests for people in this world. Throughout the history, many illnesses have been treated with the help of Allah (swt) and the effortful researches of people. Inshallah, the cure will also be found for the pandemic coronavirus spread all around the world today. In this respect, as the Prophet Muhammad (saw) stated, "There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment."[1] Our responsibility is to take all precautions not to contract the illness.
Dear Believers!
In order to be safe from this pandemic, let us first pay attention to bodily, clothing, food, and environmental cleanliness. Let us frequently ventilate the places we live in. When we cough or sneeze, let us cover our mouth and nose with single-use tissues or with the inside of our elbow. Let us try to stay out of crowded places.
Let us keep clean particularly lavatories, toilets, places to perform ablution, door handles, and desktops with which our hands contact frequently. Let us wash clean our hands with soap and water by rubbing better than ever. Let us not touch our eyes, nose, or mouth if our hands are not clean. Let us use our fingers or personal misbaha instead of using the shared misbaha in mosques.
If we have recently returned from abroad, let us pay attention to staying home and not going out for fourteen days. If you have returned from umrah, make sure you pay attention to this issue and try not to receive guests.
Dear Muslims!
We are a sincere and warm-blooded nation. We love shaking hands and hugging each other. These practices are, of course, fine and valuable. However, it is a requirement of being responsible and taking precautions to avoid such practices at a time like this, when contagious illnesses are widespread. Let us particularly suspend the commonly practised handshaking after the prayers in mosques. Let us greet each other and have our conversations from a distance without shaking hands.
People above a certain age are in the risk group and more vulnerable to coronavirus. Therefore, our elderly people had better have a rest at their homes and avoid crowded places.
Dear Believers!
Health is a blessing entrusted to us by Allah (swt). What falls upon Muslims is to preserve what is entrusted to them and do their best to look after their health. This way we attain peace thanks to the help of Allah. And this way we find solutions to our problems and cure to our illnesses. In this respect, the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) speaks of Allah in the Holy Qur'an as follows: "It is He who created me and guides me. It is He who feeds me and gives me drink. When I am ill, it is He who cures me. It is He who will cause me to die and then bring me to life."[2]
So, let us be precautious to look after our health and that of the people around us in the face of this pandemic. Let us not forget that, otherwise, we endanger both our health and that of others, which means a violation of their rights.
Without a doubt, Allah has a decree in this regard. The responsibility of Muslims is to take precautions. Muslims are moderate and balanced in all situations. It is a duty upon all of us to fight, in a calm manner and using our reason and knowledge, against this pandemic, without downplaying it or getting panicked about it.
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[1] Bukhari, Tibb, 1.
[2] Shu'ara, 26/78-81.
General Directorate of Religious Services