Coronavirus and What Muslims Should Do During the Pandemic

The year 2020 has been an unusual one by any standard. For most people living today, we have experienced something that we never went through before during our lives: a raging pandemic. However, this isn’t something new to humanity. Pandemics have existed in the past and will continue to exist in the future unless Allah wills otherwise.

When the Coronavirus first began to spread, many people didn’t take it very seriously. Initially, they thought that it would be something far away that wouldn’t affect them. However, it spread rapidly all across the world. The number of cases and deaths mounted fast, and now, people know that they must take it seriously. From the Muslim’s perspective, there are a few things that we must do to take care of ourselves and those around us.

The Spread of Coronavirus

Scientists are still finding out things about this deadly pandemic. One thing is clear, and that is that the coronavirus primarily spreads through close contact. Hence, if someone who has the infection coughs or sneezes, they expel droplets containing the virus. If someone nearby breathes in the same droplets (unknowingly, obviously, since these are tiny particles in the air), they can get infected as well.

Furthermore, the coronavirus can spread with hand-to-hand contact. This can be via direct touches, or an infected person may touch something, and then someone else touches the same thing to catch the Coronavirus Symptoms. This is why there is so much emphasis on washing hands and refraining from touching one’s mouth, nose, and eyes. While most people who catch the coronavirus make a full recovery, a small percentage die, while a larger proportion faces long-term side effects as well.

Precautionary Measures

The simplest measure that a person can take is to avoid going out as much as possible. However, humans are a very social species, and especially nowadays, many can’t live with social interactions. Still, it’s important to only go out if necessary. For many people, it’s possible to stay home almost all the time. Yet, there are also many people who can’t sustain a living from home and therefore have to go to work, etc.

For people going out for work or other important things, it’s important to follow all governmental advice. That includes things such as wearing a face mask, which is highly recommended worldwide and is said to dramatically reduce the transmission of the coronavirus (Protection Against Covid-19). You should also use sanitizers often, keep your hands away from your face while you’re out, and stay updated with the newest guidelines.

From the Islamic point of view, there are many duas we can recite in the hoping of attaining Allah’s protection. One of the duas the Prophet (PBUH) recommended we recite is, “Allahumma inni a ‘oodhu Bika min al-barasi wa’l-junooni wa’l-judhaami wa min sayyi’ il-asqaam.” By saying this dua, we seek refuge with Allah from various diseases and illnesses.

Dua for protection from illness and disease

This dua for protection from illness should be our constant prayer at this time – and it carries an important reminder that our refuge is always in Allah (SWT):

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْبَرَصِ، وَالْجُنُونِ، وَالْجُذَامِ، وَمِنْ سَيِّئِ الأَسْقَامِ

Allah humma inni a'udhu bika minal-barasi, wal-jununi, wal-judhaami, wa min sayyi'il-asqaami

"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from leprosy, insanity, elephantiasis, and the worst of diseases."

[Abu Dawud] 

Dua for sickness

when we are ill, we should seek medical attention - but we can also pray to Allah (SWT) to help our recovery. It is narrated that Aisha (PBUH) said that when anyone among them had an illness, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to rub the area of the pain and recite the following dua for protection:

اللَّهُمَّ ربَّ النَّاسِ ، أَذْهِب الْبَأسَ ، واشْفِ ، أَنْتَ الشَّافي لا شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ ، شِفاءً لا يُغَادِرُ سقَماً

Allah humma Rabban-Naas, adhhibil-ba’s, washfi antash-Shaafi laa shifaa’a illaa shifaa’uka shifaa’an laa yughaadiru saqamaa

“O Allah, Lord of mankind, do away with my suffering. Heal (me) as You are the only Healer and there is no cure except that of Yours, it is that which leaves no ailment behind”

[Bukhari]

This guidance provides the basis within Islamic law and also medical understanding of the disease so far, for Muslim communities to adapt the guidelines to their particular context around the world.

Islam is a practical religion that offers us different methods for dealing with different situations. The tools and information we need are there already but it is a matter of ensuring that people have the knowledge they need to fight misinformation and misunderstanding that costs lives.

Islam has been encouraging personal hygiene for centuries. The Quran instructs Muslims to keep their clothes clean in one of the earliest revelations (74:4), remarking “God loves those who are clean” (2:222).

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