Coronavirus, Islam and Quarantine

[Bint e Aisha]

Coronavirus, Islam and Quarantine

Posted bymuslimadentist 31st Jan 2020

CORONAVIRUS

 

The illness was first reported in late December 2019 in Wuhan, a major city in central China, and has been rapidly spreading.

The name of coronavirus comes from its shape, which resembles a crown or solar corona when imaged using an electron microscope.

Coronavirus is in the same family of viruses as the well-known severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), which have killed hundreds of people in the last 17 years.

Coronaviruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people.  Detailed investigations found that SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet cats to humans and MERS-CoV from dromedary camels to humans. Several known coronaviruses are circulating in animals that have not yet infected humans.

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Standard recommendations to prevent infection spread include regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. Avoid close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing.

 

WHAT DOES ISLAM SAY ABOUT QUARANTINE?

 

Abu Salamah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

“There is no infection (without the decree of Allah). Do not mix the sick with the healthy.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 4124

 

Al-Nawawi said, “As for the statement ‘do not mix the sick with the healthy,’ it guides to avoidance of what results in harm, as per the consistent action of Allah and his decree.”

Source: Sharḥ al-Nawawī ‘alá Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2220

 

Narrated Saud: The Prophet (ﷺ) said,

“If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place.”

Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5728

 

EXAMPLE FROM THE LIFE OF UMAR BIN AL-KHATTAB RA

Narrated `Abdullah bin `Abbas:`Umar bin Al-Khattab departed for Sham and when he reached Sargh, the commanders of the (Muslim) army, Abu ‘Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah 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 Mecca.” 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 epidemic.” So `Umar made an announcement, “I will ride back to Medina in the morning, so you should do the same.” Abu ‘Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah 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, 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 thanked Allah and returned to Medina.

Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5729

 

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