Jawed Anwar

Coronavirus (COVID-19), which has now spread around the world creating havoc and bringing human misery and economic disaster. So far 108,000 plus cases are recorded and among them 3,800 died (the time of posting this column).  

Canadian Public health officials say 74 confirmed cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed in Canada so far, with 34 cases reported in Ontario, 32 (one death) in British Columbia, four in Quebec, and four in Alberta.

In this column I will explain how Islamic Shariah protects the people from coronavirus (and all kinds of viruses and diseases).

I know the word “Shariah” annoys many non-Muslim brothers and sisters. The main reason is that there is complete ignorance about Shariah and the purpose and wisdom of Shariah. 

The main purpose of Shariah is to establish Adl (justice, harmony, balance, and parity in all spheres of life). 

If people of the world would follow Shariah of health and life style, they could be protected from epidemic/pandemic.

Now first read all about Coronavirus  from different sources and figure out the causes, reasons, precautions, and remedies. Then read this column how Shariah deals with these types of deadly viruses and epidemics. 

Islam addresses the health issue in a holistic way. Precaution is better than cure. Shariah comprises divine laws given by Allah in Quran and Sunnah (Sayings and practical example of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ). 

1. Food

According to Islam, there are four categories of food: halal (allowed), haram (prohibited), Mashbooh (doubtful), and Makruh (strictly to be avoided as abominable).

a. Halal - lawful.

Only vegetarian animals are allowed to be killed and ate. Birds that eat seeds and vegetables are permitted. Birds that eat forbidden items like insects are only allowed if insects are not a significant part of their diet. Insects such as locusts are permitted, all others forbidden.

The jugular vein of the neck should be cut in order to drain out all the blood of the live animal and the butcher should invoke Allah's name saying "Bismillah, Allah u Akbar" (with the name of Allah. Allah is the greatest).”

A halal slaughter involves a sharp knife. The animal should not see before it is slaughtered; the animal must be well-rested and fed before slaughtering, and the slaughtering may not take place in front of other animals. 

Fruits and vegetables must be inspected before eating to see that they have no insects. Fish killed by the removal from water, or by a blow, are permitted. Shellfish are forbidden. Cheeses coagulated with acid or vegetable enzymes are permitted. Grains are permitted, provided they have not been prepared using animal fats or other forbidden ingredients. Vinegar, which is not made from fermenting alcohol, is permitted.

 b. Haram - forbidden, unlawful.

Haram is an Arabic term meaning "forbidden." Acts that are haram are prohibited in the religious texts of the Quran and the Sunnah. If something is considered haram, it remains prohibited no matter how good the intention is, or how noble the purpose is. In Islamic law, dietary prohibitions are said to help with the understanding of divine will.

Muslims are not allowed consuming blood. Meats that are considered haram, such as pork, dog, cat, monkey, or any other haram animals, can only be considered lawful in emergencies when a person is facing starvation, and his life has to be saved through the consumption of this meat. But it must be limited to the quantity necessary to save a life. All carnivores with fangs such as lions, tigers, wolves, dogs, cats are haram. All birds with talons such as hawks, falcons, vultures, eagles are haram. Domesticated donkeys are haram. Animals which are commanded to kill such as mice, scorpions, snakes, are haram. All reptiles, amphibians (frogs) and rodents are haram. Any animal that has died before being slaughtered in the Islamic manner, or has not been properly slaughtered, is haram. Animals that are slaughtered in the name of anyone but Allah (One God) are prohibited.

Intoxicants, or Khamr, are prohibited in Islam. The Prophet forbade the trading, export, import, gifting of intoxicants, even with non-Muslims. It is not permissible for a Muslim to work in, or own, a place that sells intoxicants. A Muslim is not even allowed to sit at a table where alcohol is being served. Heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and any other substances which cause intoxication are also forbidden.

Haram List from currently available food:

Alcoholic drinks and intoxicants, Non-Halal Animal Fat, Enzymes (Microbial Enzymes are permissible), Gelatine – from non-Halal source (fish gelatine is Halal), L-cysteine (if from human hair), Lard, Lipase (only animal lipase need be avoided), Non-Halal Animal Shortening, Pork, Bacon / Ham and anything from pigs, Unspecified Meat Broth, Rennet (All forms should be avoided except for plant / microbial /, Synthetic – rennet obtained from halal slaughtered animal is permissible), Stock (a blend of mix species broth or meat stock), Tallow (non-Halal species), Carnivorous animals, birds of prey and certain other animals, and Foods contaminated with any of the above products are haram. 

c. Mashbooh, Mushtabahat - questionable or doubtful.

There is a grey area called mushbooh. If one does not know the Halal or Haram status of a particular food or drink, it should not be consumed.

d. Makruh- inappropriate, distasteful or offensive.

Although Makruh actions are less severe than Haram, it is recommended to avoid it. This gives a Muslim a better chance of reaping Allah's rewards.

 Makruh food, determined by the Quran, states that man should only eat pure food, and anything impure is regarded as makruh. This includes food that is spoiled or rotten. A long list prepared Fuqhah determines.

Note: One can note that the Coronavirus is spreading from the places (epicenter) where the majority of people are eating just opposite to Shariah-compliant food.

 

2. Cleanliness and Purification (Arabic: Taharah) 

Islamic Shariah requires physical and spiritual cleanliness. On the physical side, Islam requires Muslims to clean their bodies, clothes, houses, and community, and they are rewarded by God for doing so. While people generally consider cleanliness desirable, Islam insists upon it and makes it an indispensable fundamental of religious life. In fact, books on Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence) often contain a whole chapter on this very requirement.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ advised Muslims to appear neat and tidy in private and in public. Once when returning home from battle, he advised his army: “Soon you will meet your brothers, so tidy your saddles and clothes” (Abu Dawud, “Libas,” 25). On another occasion, he said: “If I had not been afraid of overburdening my community, I would have ordered them to use a miswaq (to brush and clean their teeth) for every prayer (five times a day)” (Bukhari, “Iman,” 26).

Moral hygiene also was emphasized, for the Prophet ﷺ, encouraged Muslims to make a special prayer upon seeing themselves in the mirror: “God, You have endowed me with a good form; likewise bless me with an immaculate character ” (Ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 1:34, 6:155). He advised modest clothing, for men as well as for women, because it helps one maintain the purity of thought.

Being charitable is a way of purifying one’s wealth. A Muslim who does not give charity (Sadaqah) and pay the required annual zakat (the prescribed purifying alms), contaminates his or her wealth by hoarding that which rightfully belongs to others: Of their wealth take alms so that you may purify them (Quran 9:103).

All the laws and injunctions given by Allah and His Prophet, upon him be Allah’s blessings and peace, are pure. Any law established by Divine guidance is just and pure.

 The Purity of Water

 Pure water is used essentially in matters of purification or wudu’ (minor ablution) and ghusl (major ablution). Hence the necessity to investigate water’s purity. Water has four essential attributes: smell, colour, taste, and fluidity. Any pure and purifying water is judged according to whether it retains these attributes or not. As a result, water is classified into two categories: mutlaq and muqayyad water.

 Mutlaq water is “natural” water, such as that which comes from rainwater, snow, hail, seawater, and water from the Zamzam well.

 It is subdivided as follows:

• Water that is both pure and purifying (e.g., rainwater, snow, hail, seawater, and water from the Zamzam well).
• Water that drips from a person after he or she has performed the minor or major ablution, and therefore is considered “used.” It is considered pure, but cannot be used for another minor and major ablution.
• Water that is both pure and purifying, but whose usage is disliked (Makruh), e.g., water left in a container after a cat, bird, or another “allowed” animal has drunk from it.
• Water mixed with impure elements. Water whose taste, color, or smell has been altered by an impure substance cannot be used for purification. However, if the liquid is still considered water, meaning that the impure substance has not altered its taste, colour, or smell, it can be used for purification.
• Water that is pure but may or may not is purifying. One example of this type of water is the water that remains in a pot after a donkey or a mule has drunk from it.

Muqayyad water includes naturally muqayyad water, such as fruit juices and water that has been mixed with various substances (e.g., soap, saffron, flowers) or objects that the Shariah considers pure. Such water is considered pure until, due to being mixed with other substances, one can no longer call it water. In this case, the water is still regarded as pure, but it cannot be used for purification (minor and major ablution).

 Types of Impurities

 Najasa refers to impure substances that Muslims must avoid and wash off after coming into contact with them. Allah says: Purify your raiment (74:4) and: Allah loves those who repent and who purify themselves (2:222).

• Animals that died naturally (e.g., not killed in the Islamic manner) are impure, as is anything cut off a live animal. However, dead sea animals and those that have no flowing blood (e.g., bees and ants) are not impure. The bones, horns, claws, fur, feathers, and skin of dead animals, except for pigs, are pure.
• Any blood that flows from a person’s or an animal’s body (e.g., blood from a killed animal or menstrual blood) is impure. However, blood that remains in the veins is permissible. Also, any blood that remains inedible meat, livers, hearts, and spleens is not impure, provided that the animal was sacrificed in the Islamic way.
• A person’s vomit, urine, excrement, wadi (a thick white secretion discharged after urination), mazi (a white sticky fluid that flows from the sexual organs when thinking about sexual intercourse, foreplay, and so on), prostatic fluid, and sperm is impure. However, according to some, sperm is not impure but should be washed off if it is still wet and scratched off if it is dry. Any part of human flesh is impure.
• The urine, saliva, and blood of all animals whose meat is prohibited, and the excrement of all animals except birds whose meat is allowable, is impure.
• The excrement of poultry (i.e., geese, hens, ducks) is impure.
• Pig and alcohol are impure.
• Dogs are considered impure. Any container that a dog has licked must be wholly washed and sterilized. If a dog licks a pot that has dry food in it, what it touched and what surrounds it must be thrown away. The remainder may be kept, as it is still pure. A dog’s hair is considered pure.
• The impurities mentioned are considered “gross impurity” (najasat al-ghaliza). Any amount of them contaminates whatever it touches. However, if it is on a person’s body or clothes when he or she is praying, or on the ground or mat where he or she is praying, its amount is taken into consideration. Any solid filth weighing more than 3 grams, and any liquid more than the amount that spreads over a person’s palm, invalidates the prayer.
• The urine of horses and domestic or wild animals whose meat is allowed to eat is weak impurity (najasat al-khafifa). When more than one-fourth of a limb or one-fourth of one’s clothes are smeared with it, the prayer is invalidated.

 

The Ways of Purification

 Purifying the body and clothes: If these are contaminated, they must be washed with water until no impurity remains. This is especially so if the impurity is visible, such as blood. If some stains remain after washing, such as those that would be extremely difficult to remove, they can be overlooked. If the impurity is not visible, such as urine, wash and wring whatever it has contaminated three times.

 Purifying the ground: Purify the ground by pouring water over it. If the impurity is solid, the ground will become pure only by its removal or decay.

 Purifying contaminated butter and similar substances: If a dead animal has fallen into a solid matter but has not swollen or disintegrated, whatever the corpse touches and what is around it must be thrown away, provided that one can make sure that it did not touch the rest of the matter. If it fell into a liquid substance, the majority say that the entire liquid becomes impure.

 Purifying a dead animal’s skin: Tanning purifies a dead animal’s skin and fur. The Prophet ﷺ said: “If the animal’s skin is tanned, it is purified” (Muslim, “Hayz,” 105).

 Purifying mirrors and similar objects: Mirrors, knives, swords, nails, bones, glass, painted pots, and other smooth surfaces that have no pores are purified by removing the impurity.

Useful Points

• If an unknown liquid falls on a person, there is no need to ask about it or to wash one’s clothes.
• If a person finds something moist on his or her body or clothes at night and does not know what it is, he or she does not need to smell it to identify it.
• Clothes that have street mud on them do not have to be washed.
• If a person finishes praying and sees some previously unseen impurity on his or her clothes or body, or was aware of but forgot about them, his or her prayer does not have to be repeated.
• If a person cannot determine what part of his or her clothes contains the impurity, the whole garment should be washed, for “if an obligation can be fulfilled only by performing another related act, that act also becomes obligatory.”
• If a person mixes pure clothes with impure clothes (and cannot tell them apart), he or she should investigate the matter and pray once in one of the clothes.
• It is not proper to carry something that has God’s Name upon it while going to the bathroom unless he or she is afraid of losing it or having it stolen.
• One should not talk in the bathroom, respond to a greeting, or repeat what the muezzin (caller of the prayer) is saying. One may speak if there is some necessity. In the event of sneezing, one should praise God silently by moving his or her lips.
• One should neither face nor turn his or her back on the qibla while answering the call of nature, especially if in an open area.
• One should seek a soft and low piece of ground to protect against any impurity. The Prophetﷺ said: “When one of you urinates, he should choose the proper place to do so.”
• One should avoid shaded places and places where people walk and gather.
• One should not answer the call of nature in bathing places or in still or running water.
• One should not urinate while standing, though some allow it.
• One must remove any impurities from one’s clothes and body after relieving oneself.
• One should not clean himself or herself with the right hand.
• One should remove any bad smell from one’s hands after answering a call of nature.
• One should enter the bathroom with the left foot, saying: “I seek refuge in God from noxious male and female beings (devils),” and exit with one’s right foot, saying: “O God, I seek your forgiveness.”
• After a man has relieved himself, he should wait until the urine stops completely and make sure that none of it has fallen onto his clothes. This is called istibra (seeking full purification). Ibn ‘Abbas related that the Messenger of God, upon him be God’s blessings and peace, passed by two graves and said: “They are being punished, but not for a great matter (on their part). One of them did not clean himself from urine, and the other used to spread slander.” (Tirmidhi, “Tahara,” 53) To erase all doubt, the person should sprinkle the private parts and underwear with water.

 

Acts That Correspond to Human Nature

 God has chosen certain acts for all of His Prophets and their followers to perform. These acts, are known as Sunan al-fitra (actions required by human nature), are as follows:

 Circumcision.  This prevents dirt from getting on one’s penis and also makes it easy to keep clean. The Shafi‘i scholars maintain that it should be done on the seventh day of birth, although it is permissible to do it later.

 Shaving pubic hairs and pulling out underarm hairs. Doing so is sunnah. However, it is enough to trim or pull it out.

 Clipping fingernails, trimming and shaving the moustache, and keeping the beard tidy. Abu Hurayra (RA) reported that the Messenger of God, upon whom be God’s blessings and peace, said, “Five things are part of one’s fitra: shaving the pubic hair, circumcision, trimming the moustache, removing any underarm hair, and trimming the nails.” (Muslim, “Tahara,” 49) A moustache should not be so long that food particles, drink, and dirt accumulates in it. If one grows a beard, it should not be untidy.

 Honouring and combing one’s hair. Abu Hurayra(RA) reported that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said: “Whoever has hair should honour it” (Abu Dawud, “Tarajjul,” 3:4163). Cutting one’s hair off is permissible, and so is letting it grow if one honours it.

 Leaving gray hairs in place. This applies to both men and women. ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb related, on the authority of his father from his grandfather, that the Messenger, peace and blessings upon him, not pluck the gray hairs, as they are a Muslim’s light. A Muslim never grows gray in Islam except that God writes for him, due to that, a good deed, raises him a degree, and erases for him, due to that, one of his sins” (Ibn Hanbal, 2:179; Tirmidhi, “Adab,” 56).

 Dyeing one’s gray hair. According to the accepted opinion, dyeing one’s gray hair by using henna, red dye, yellow dye, and so on is permissible, provided that the dyes are religiously allowable.

 Using perfume. Using musk and other perfumes that are free of alcohol and similar forbidden things is highly advisable, for they are pleasing to the soul and beautify the atmosphere.

Menstruation and Post-childbirth Bleeding

 Menstruation is a natural type of blood that flows at regular intervals from a woman’s uterus after puberty. God has laid down certain rules in connection with this, as a concession to the woman, in consideration of her condition.

 Menstruation usually lasts 3 to 10 days and nights, varying from woman to woman. Most women have a regular number of days for their monthly menstrual period. The number of days may fluctuate, and the period might come a little early or a little late. So when a woman sees menstrual blood, she should consider herself to be menstruating. When it stops, she should consider herself clean. If more blood appears after her menstrual period has ended, but does not have the same colour as menstrual blood, it should not be considered as menstruation.

 Post-childbirth bleeding is the blood that comes during and after childbirth. It may begin to come 2 or 3 days before delivery and be accompanied by labour pains. There is no minimum limit as to how long a woman will bleed, but generally, the upper limit is within 40 days.

 Women are prohibited from performing certain acts while they are in this condition, such as follows:

• She cannot pray (salat) after she begins to bleed and does not have to make up any missed prayers.
• She cannot observe any obligatory (Ramadan) or supererogatory fasts. She must make up the obligatory fasting days after regaining her ritual cleanliness. If bleeding begins during a supererogatory fasting day upon which she had intended to fast, she must make it up.
• She can do all pilgrimage rites except circumambulating the Ka‘ba (tawaf).
• She should avoid mosques or places of worship, and cannot touch the Qur’an, whether the original or in translation. She cannot recite it from memory but can read the verses of prayer and supplication with the intention of praying. (She cannot perform salat but can supplicate and recite the prayers mentioned in the Qur’an with the intention of saying prayers or making supplications.)
• A man cannot have sexual intercourse with his wife while she has post-childbirth bleeding, for she is not allowed to make herself available to him. However, he can kiss, hug, or touch her anywhere besides the pubic region. It is better and highly advisable to avoid the area between the navel and the knees.
•  When a menstruating woman stops bleeding, she must perform a complete ghusl (major ablution). After this, she must resume praying and fasting, can enter the mosque, make tawaf, recite the Qur’an, and engage in allowable sexual intercourse. She must make up the fasting days that she missed during Ramadan, but not the prayers. The same rules apply to women in post-childbirth bleeding.

 

Istihadha (Non-menstrual Vaginal Bleeding)

 In some women, bleeding never stops; in others, it continues for longer than normal. This blood is called istihadha. Likewise, any blood coming before puberty and after menopause is also considered istihadha.

 A woman with this condition should calculate when her period would normally end, and then stop praying during the days of her calculated period and follow all of the other menstruation-related rules. For the rest of the days, her bleeding should be treated as istihadha. If she does not have a regular period or does not remember when it used to occur, but can distinguish between the two kinds of blood based on color, thickness, and smell (i.e., menstrual blood is dark, thick, and has a strong odor, while istihadha is bright red, thin, and less disagreeable in smell), she must act accordingly. If she does not have a regular period and cannot distinguish between the two types of blood, she must consider the blood coming for 3 to 10 days every month as menstruation and calculate it from the time she first noticed her vaginal bleeding.

 There is no difference between a woman beset by istihadha and one who has a complete cessation of menstrual flow, except as follows:

• If the first woman wants to perform wudu’ (ritual ablution), she should wash the blood from her vaginal area and then apply a menstrual pad or wrap the area with a clean rag on top of a wad of cotton to catch the blood. Any blood coming out after that is of no account.
• She must perform wudu’ for every obligatory prayer.

 

Ghusl (Major Ablution)

 Ghusl means major canonical ablution or a complete washing of the body. It becomes obligatory after sexual intercourse, even if only the head of the penis disappears into the vagina. Any discharge of semen and the completion of menses and post-childbirth bleeding.

 Taking ghusl every Friday before the congregational prayer is highly advisable, for the Prophet always did so. Before beginning ghusl, one should make the intention to perform it and, if one will pray after performing it, also the prayer.

Things Forbidden to a Ritually Impure Person

 People who are in this state cannot pray, circumambulate the Ka'ba (tawaf), enter a mosque or place of worship unless necessary, or touch the Qur'an or any of its verses except with a clean cloth or something similar.

What Makes One's Ghusl Valid?

• Rinsing the mouth thoroughly so that all of its parts are cleaned properly.
• Rinsing the nose right up to the nasal bone.
• Washing all bodily parts thoroughly, including the hair.

The best way to perform ghusl is as follows:

• Having the intention (niyyat) to cleanse the body from 
• impurity while washing oneself.
• Washing the hands up to the wrists three times.
• Washing the private parts thoroughly.
• Removing all filth from all bodily parts.
• Performing ablution.
• Washing all bodily parts three times, including the hair thoroughly. No part, even the size of a pinpoint, is allowed to remain dry. Rubbing and pressing the body is not obligatory.

 

Tayammum (Ablution with Clean Soil)

 When a person is too sick to use water or none is around when it is time to pray, he or she can perform tayammum in place of wudu’ and ghusl. The requirements are as follows:

• Intending to perform tayammum to remove any impurity.
• Striking the pure soil lightly with the palms of both hands and passing the palms over the face one time.
• Striking the pure soil again with one’s palms and rubbing the right and left arms alternately from the fingertips to the elbows.

Tayammum is nullified as soon as the cause for performing it is removed (i.e., the sick person recovers or pure water is found). If a person performs tayammum and then prays, he or she does not have to repeat the prayer if the conditions for it are removed before the time for that particular prayer ends.

 

Wudu’ (Ablution)

 Wudu’ involves washing with water at least once the usually exposed bodily parts, namely, the face, hands and arms up to (and including) the elbows, and feet, and wiping one-quarter of the head. It is obligatory for any obligatory or supererogatory prayer, circumambulating the Kaabah, and touching the Qur’an with bare hands.

 Wudu’ is performed in the following manner:

• Ensure that the water to be used is pure.
• Intend to perform wudu’ to offer prayer, if you plan to pray after taking it.
• Recite “Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim” (i.e., in the Name of God, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate).
• Wash the hands up to the wrists three times, and do not miss the parts between the fingers.
• Clean your mouth with a brush or a finger, and gargle with water three times.
• Rinse the nostrils with water three times.
• Wash the face from the forehead to the chin and from ear to ear three times.
• Wash the right arm, followed by the left up to the elbows three times.
• Wipe at least a quarter of the head with wet hands, pass the wet tips of the little fingers inside and the wet tips of the thumbs outside the ears, and pass the palms over the nape and sides of the neck.
• Finally, wash the feet up to (and including) the ankles, the right foot first and then the left, taking care to wash in between the toes, each one three times. The obligatory acts are as follows:
• Washing the face.
• Washing both arms up to and including the elbows.
• Wiping a quarter of the head with wet hands.
• Washing both feet up to and including the ankles. The following acts nullify wudu’:
• Whatever comes out from the two private parts (front and back): waste matter, urine, wind, wadi (a thick white secretion discharged after urination), mazi (a white sticky fluid that flows from the sexual organs when thinking about sexual intercourse or foreplay, and so on), and prostatic fluid. Semen, menstrual blood, and post-childbirth blood require ghusl.
• Emission of blood, pus, or yellow matter from a wound, boil, pimple, or something similar to such an extent that it flows beyond the wound’s mouth.
• Vomiting a mouthful of matter.
• Physical contact for pleasure between men and women without any obstacle (e.g., clothes). If the head of one’s penis disappears into a woman’s vagina, ghusl is required.
• Loss of consciousness through sleep, drowsiness, and so on.
• Temporary insanity, fainting, hysteria, or intoxication.
• Audible laughter during prayer.

Wiping over Clean, Indoor Boots (Khuffayn)

 While performing wudu’, one can wipe over (the top of) their clean, indoor boots once with wet hands instead of washing the feet.

• Boots should be waterproof and cover the whole foot up to (and including) the ankles. They must have no holes wider than three fingers in width. It does not matter if their mouths are so wide that the feet can be seen when looking down at them.
• They must be fit, strong, and tough enough so that the feet would not come out of them, and they should not fall down when walked in for three miles.
• They cannot be made out of wood, glass, or metal.
• One must put on the boots after washing one’s feet while performing ablution. One can wear it for a whole day if one is resident. If travelling, one can wear it for three consecutive days.

Source: The Way to Truth

3. Etiquettes

Sneezing: 

Narrated Anas bin Malik (R.A.):

Two men sneezed before the Prophet. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to one of them, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on you," but he did not say that to the other. On being asked (why), the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That one praised Allah (at the time of sneezing), while the other did not praise Allah."

(Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6221, In-book reference: Book 78, Hadith 245, USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 8, Book 73, Hadith 240)

Narrated AbuHurayrah (R.A.):

Respond three times to your brother when he sneezes, and if he sneezes more often, he has a cold in his head.

(Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 5034, In-book reference: Book 43, Hadith 262, English translation: Book 42, Hadith 5016)

Narrated Abu Hurairah (R.A.):  

that when the Prophet (ﷺ) would sneeze, he would cover his face with his hand or with his garment and muffle the sound with it. 

(Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi, English reference: Vol. 5, Book 41, Hadith 2745, Arabic reference: Book 43, Hadith 2969)

Hand Washing: 

Narrated `Amr:

My father saw `Amr bin Abi Hasan asking `Abdullah bin Zaid (R.A.) about the ablution of the Prophet. `Abdullah bin Zaid (R.A.) asked for an earthenware pot containing water and in front of them performed ablution like that of the Prophet (ﷺ). He poured water from the pot over his hand and washed his hands thrice and then he put his hands in the pot and rinsed his mouth and washed his nose by putting water in it and then blowing it out with three handfuls of water. Again he put his hand in the water and washed his face thrice and washed his forearms up to the elbows twice; and then put his hands in the water and then passed them over his head by bringing them to the front and then to the rear of the head once, and then he washed his feet up to the ankles.

(Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 186, In-book reference: Book 4, Hadith 52, USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 1, Book 4, Hadith 186)

Salmaan Faarisi (R.A.) says:

"I have read in-the Tauraah (Torah), that performing wudu (washing the hands) after eating increases blessings. I mentioned this to Rasulullah (Muhammad, Prophet of Allah ﷺ). Rasulullah ﷺsaid: "Wudu before and after eating (washing the hands and mouth) increases blessings.

(Reference: Shama'il Muhammadiyah, English reference: Book 26, Hadith 178, Arabic reference: Book 27, Hadith 187)

4. Style 

In the India Prime Time show of NDTV’s Ravish Kumar on February 18, Dr. Anil Gutta advised the viewers how to protect from coronavirus. One of his advice was not to touch certain areas of the face (unnecessarily and without washing hands). Muslims men (Shariah-compliant) have a beard at that area and women are supposed to cover when they go outside their home. 

Beard:

Ibn 'Umar (R.A.) said:

"The Messenger of Allah [SAW] said: 'Let the beard grow and trim the mustache.'"

(Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 5046, In-book reference: Book 48, Hadith 7, English translation: Vol. 6, Book 48, Hadith 5049)

Hijab:

Narrated Safiya bint Shaiba:

`Aisha (R. A.) used to say: "When (the Verse): "They should draw their veils over their necks and bosoms," was revealed, (the ladies) cut their waist sheets at the edges and covered their heads and faces with those cut pieces of cloth."

(Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 282, Arabic reference: Book 65, Hadith 4759)

Garment: 

Keep your clothing above the dirt of the ground:

It was narrated from Mughirah bin Shu’bah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“O Sufyan bin Sahl, do not let your garment hang, for Allah does not like those who let their garments hang below the ankle."

(Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah, English reference: Vol. 4, Book 32, Hadith 3574, Arabic reference: Book 32, Hadith 3705)

5. Quarantine

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Abbas (R.A.):

`Umar bin Al-Khattab (R.A.) departed for Sham (Syria) and when he reached Sargh, the commanders of the (Muslim) army, Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah (R.A.) and his companions met him and told him that an epidemic had broken out in Sham. `Umar said, "Call for me the early emigrants." So `Umar called them, consulted them and informed them that an epidemic had broken out in Sham. Those people differed in their opinions. Some of them said, "We have come out for a purpose, and we do not think that it is proper to give it up," while others said (to `Umar), "You have along with you. other people and the companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) so do not advise that we take them to this epidemic." `Umar said to them, "Leave me now." Then he said, "Call the Ansar for me." I called them, and he consulted them, and they followed the way of the emigrants and differed as they did. He then said to them, Leave me now," and added, "Call for me the old people of Quraish who emigrated in the year of the Conquest of Makkah." I called them, and they gave a unanimous opinion saying, "We advise that you should return with the people and do not take them to that (place) of the epidemic." So `Umar (R.A.) made an announcement, "I will ride back to Madinah in the morning, so you should do the same." Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah (R.A.) said (to `Umar), "Are you running away from what Allah had ordained?" `Umar said, "Would that someone else had said such a thing, O Abu 'Ubaida! Yes, we are running from what Allah had ordained to what Allah has ordained. Don't you agree that if you had camels that went down a valley having two places, one green and the other dry, you would graze them on the green one only if Allah had ordained that, and you would graze them on the dry one only if Allah had ordained that?" At that time, `Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf (R.A.), who had been absent because of some job, came and said, "I have some knowledge about this. I have heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, 'If you hear about it (an outbreak of plague) in a land, do not go to it; but if plague breaks out in a country where you are staying, do not run away from it.' " `Umar (R.A.) thanked Allah and returned to Madinah.

(Reference: Sahih Al-Bukhari : Sahih al-Bukhari 5729, In-book reference: Book 76, Hadith 44, USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 7, Book 71, Hadith 625)6. Quarantine

Muslims have faith that Allah writes the time, date, and place of death and no one and nothing can extend or shorten life even for a second. 

The faith in the destiny of life and death makes Muslims fearless that helps them to keep active and help humanity. 

Even if the whole world will shut down, and people will confine to their homes, the faithful Muslims will be out in the taking care of others.

Muslims’ belief in death:

“To Allah (Almighty God), we belong, and to Him is our return.” (Qur'an 2:156)

“The Sun travels to an appointed place. This is the decree of the Mighty, the All-Knowing.” (Qur'an 36:38)

“What is the life of this world but play and amusement? But best is the home in the hereafter, for those who are righteous. Will ye not then understand?” (Qur'an 6:32)

“And I have not created the Jinn and the Men except that they worship (obey) me.” (Qur'an 51:56)

“Who created death and life that He may try you - which of you is best in deeds, and He is Mighty and Forgiving.”(Qur'an 67:2)

“So whoever desires to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds and not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.” (Qur'an 18:110)

“Say: the Angel of Death who is given charge of you shall cause you to die, and then to your Lord, you shall be brought back.” (Qur'an 32:11)

6. Dua (Prayers) 

There are many Duas (prayers) to recite and ask Allah to protect from any epidemic and other things that can harm. We should make those Duas many times morning and evening.

Following are the transliteration (of Arabic) and translations of few DUAS:

“La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah " (Sahih Bukhari & Muslim)

(many times)

"There is no power and might except with (the help of) Allah.”

"A‘oothu bi kalimaatil-laahit-taammaati min sharri maa khalaq."(Sahih Muslim Hadith #2708)  

"I seek protection in the perfect words of Allah from the evil of that Which He has created.”  

"Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma'as-mihi shai'un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama'i, wa Huwas-Sami'ul-'Alim"  (Dawud & At- Tirmidhi: Book 16, Hadith 1457)

"With the Name of Allah with Whose Name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All-Knowing),"

 "A'uzu bi kalimatillah hit-taammati min kulli shaytaa new-wa hammah, wa min kulli ay nil-lammah.” (Saḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3371)

"O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye."

 "Allahumma inni a'udhu bika minal-barasi, wal- jununi, wal-judhami, wa sayyi'il-asqami' (Sunan Abi Dawud 1554)

 “O Allah, I seek refuge in You from leprosy, madness, elephantiasis, and evil diseases." 

 

Jawed Anwar can be contacted at jawed@seerahwest.com