GRAND MUFTI OF BANGLADESH FATWA

13 April 2020 articles SALÃH & CORONA VIRUS mercy, blessing, safety, security and reward. When a person will perform Şalãh in the Masjid, Alläh e becomes pleased, He becomes displeased when a person does not go to the Masjid and abandons the Jamä'ah. If the illness comes into the Masjid, it will be under the command of Alläh &. Period. Alläh &: instructs His servants to come for jamã'ah in order for them to acquire mercies, blessings and great reward. He will not punish them because these illnesses come as punishment for the disobedient and polytheists and as a mercy for the believers. In addition, if this illness goes wherever it wants, on its own accord,then it will not be the creation of Alläh & - there is no proof for this. The proof establishes the contrary because the clear texts of the Noble Qur'ăn and hadith show that all illnesses are the creation of Alläh & and they follow His command. If it affects someone, it will be due to the command of Alläh &. There is no proof in the Noble Qur'án and hadith that shows illnesses coming into the Masäjid. If anyone has doubt, then there is no consideration given to doubt in Shari'ah in the case of definite and convincing circumstances. Conviction is not removed by doubt. With regards to this, the research of medical professionals will be considered when it does not contradict the Shari'ah. If it conflicts with the Shari'ah, it will be rejected. Due to fear for the Corona Virus, if a space of a metre is kept between people in the rows of Saläh, then this contradicts the clear Shar'i texts. Therefore, no consideration will be given to this. The principle regarding the rows in the Masjid is that it should be like the rows of the angels in their worship and Tasbih. Rasülulläh & explained that when the angels worship and glorify Alläh &, they join one another in a row or rank and there is no space in between. Rasülulläh si taught the Ummah that when standing in Saläh, one should stand in a row, shoulder to shoulder format and there should be no space in between at all. This is because Shaytăn comes into the empty place. Alläh & does not like that Shaytãn has a share in one's worship. The proof is the following narration, 'Samurah Ibn Jundub 4, narrates that Rasülulläh said, "Make your rows in Şaläh like the angels do by their deity." We asked, "How do the angels make their rows when worshipping their deity? Rasülulläh & said, "Complete the first row, then the next. Complete each row, without leaving a space in between because when it is left empty, Shaytãn jumps in between and causes harm in your prayer." Anas & narrates that Rasülulläh se said, "Join one another in the rows in sequence, do not leave a space in between, join shoulder to shoulder." Then he said, "By the Being in Whose control is my life, I see that when you leave a space in the row, then Shaytãn comes in between like the kid of a goat."vit Rasülulläh & said, "Form your rows for Şaläh by joining each other, he who fills a space in order to complete a row, Alläh & will join him to Him. He who leaves a gap in vil Tirmidhi 5 SALAH & CORONA VIRUS From this verse of the Noble Qur'ăn we learn that the Ka'bah Musharrafah and all the Masajid of the world are places of gathering. At the Ka'bah Musharrafah, Tawäf is done and Şaläh is performed. People remember Alläh &i there too. In other Masäjid, Saläh with Jamä'ah is held and Jumu'ah is performed. People remember Alläh & and recite from the Noble Qur'ân. Who is the oppressor that stops the gathering of people at those places that Alläh & has made places of gathering?! Who is the oppressor that closes them, prevents the people from Tawäf and Salah? This can only bethe greatest oppressors of the world and they are the greatest criminals too. May Alläh & bless the Muslims with the ability to use their intelligence and intellect. One should not come under the sway of the Jews and Christians and close the Masäjid, stopping the different forms of worship. One should open it for all the Muslims. However, those from whom harm can come, they should be stopped. Ibn 'Abbãs -4, was asked about a person that fasts during the day, stands in worship at night, but he does not attend the Jumu'ah and Jamä'ah. He said, "He is in the fire."vii Mujähid a says, "Those who turn away from attending the five times Şaläh and Jumu'ah, treating it lightly, their Saläh will not be done." A narration from Rasülulläh &e says, "He who leaves three Jumu'ah due to negligence and laziness, Alläh & will place a seal on his heart." In short, there are severe warnings for the person that abandons the Jamä'ah Şaläh and Jumu ah. However, those who are ill, or they have fear of illness, if they cannot attend the Jamä'ah, or Jumu'ah, there will be no sin on them. On the other hand, the person that does not have a valid shar'i reason, and he stays away from the five times Jamä'ah due to faulty or defective belief, he will be a severe sinner. Firstly, due to his defective belief. Secondly, due to leaving the Jamä'ah. It must remain clear that the meaning of faulty or defective belief is that it is stated in the hadith that according to Islämic belief, there is no contagiousness, i.e. it is not correct to believe that an illness can move from one to another. This is because every illness is the creation of Alläh &. The illness is subject to the command of Alläh &. whether it affects man or animals. It is the system of Alläh & that when He wills an illness to afflict someone, it will afflict him, not anyone else. If these illnesses are free to go wherever they want, they can go to everyone, but this is not the case. Therefore, the area or locality in which the Corona Virus has spread, if it affects everyone, then everyone will die. However, it affects certain people, not others. When the illness is subject to the command of Alläh &, it does not afflict every single person. Whoever is subject to the command of Alläh & to be affected, it goes to him. Therefore, it is not a valid excuse to fear such an illness and not attend the Masjid for Jamä'ah and Jumu'ah, especially when all the Masajid are the houses of Alläh &. They are places of vi Tirmidhi ŞALAH & CORONA VIRUS to begin. Then, I would go to the homes of those who do not come for Şalãh in Jamä'ah and burn their homes. The same Hadith is narrated from Ibn Mas'üd s, Abü Ad-Darda' e., Ibn 'Abbäs and others. Imãm Tirmidhi a, said that this Hadith is Hasan and Şahih. Imäm Tirmidhi a. says that this narration is proven from many Sahabah 4. All of them said that those who do not attend the Jamä'ah after the Adhãn has been called out, without any excuse, their Salah is not done. (b) Shaykh-ut-Tafsir Maulānă Muhammad Idris Kandehlawi as writes in his Tafsir, Ma'ārif-ul-Qur'ăn under verse 114 of Sürah Al-Bagarah, .... Pc búc gaN g p; cga «And who are more unjust than those who prevent the name of Allah from being mentioned in His Masajid and strive toward their destruction. It is not for them to enter them except in fear. For them in this world is disgrace, and they will have in the Hereafter a great punishment» This refers to stopping the name of Alläh & being taken, whether in the heart, or by the tongue, or by the limbs. Not only this, but the person strives to render them empty and barren. Showing dishonour and destroying the Masäjid is outwardly destroying them, whilst preventing worship, the remembrance of Alläh &, this is the inner form and the proverbial form of destroying the Masajid.*" Mufti Muhammad Shafi' i writes in his Tafsir under the same verse quoted above, "The third aspect we learn is that whatever action is adopted to render the Masjid empty and barren is forbidden (harãm). Just as destroying the Masjid is addressed clearly in this verse, in the same way, it refers tocreating all those means that will cause the Masjid to: be rendered empty and barren. The meaning of rendering the Masjid barren is that people do not come there for Şaläh, or they come in decreased numbers. This is because, the objective of building the Masjid is not to decorate it, but it is to enliven Dhikr, Tiláwat and Salãh. This is why the Noble Qur'ân states, «The Masajid of Alläh are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakãh and do not fear except Alläh, for it is expected that those will be of the (rightly] guided»i In a hadith, Rasülulläh $ said that closer to Qiyāmah, the Masäjid of the Muslims will outwardly be beautiful and full of activity, but in reality, they will be barren. The • Tirmidhi wMa'arif-ul-Qur'ân vol.1 p.203 iv Sürah At-Taubah: 18 SALAH & CORONA VIRUS number of those who come for Saläh will decrease, or means for this decrease will be created. Sayyidunã 'Ali a, said, "Honour of man lies in six things." Three of them are listed here: Recitation of the Noble Qur'ān ii. Enlivening the Masäjid ili. Building unity amongst friends that will help in the work of Din.* The summary of the two Tafsirs is presented hereunder: 1. The Masăjid are the houses of Alläh &. The objective is that Alläh & should be remembered therein, with the heart, tongue and limbs, like in Salah and Tilâwat. 2. The demand of honour as a human being is to enliven the Masäjid and develop one's imãn. 3. The actions of Muslims involve the maximum number of Musallis coming for Şalah, remembering Alläh & in the Masäjid and reciting the Noble Qur'ăn. Contrary to this, stopping people from coming to the Masjid, preventing them from worship and Şaläh, this is destroying the Masäjid. This is censured in the 5. Stopping the people from the Masjid is like the general destruction of the Masjid. Similarly, limiting the numbers of people or specifying the people to attend also falls under the purview of destroying the Masjid. This is great oppression. 6. The reasons and causes mentioned by those who stop and prevent the people from coming to the Masjid are not explained by the Shari'ah, nor do we find any indication of them in the Nuşüş (clear texts). (c) Alläh & says, «And [mention) when We made the House a place of return for the people and [a place ofl security. And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Ibrähim a place of prayer. And We charged Ibrähim and Ismå'il, [saying]. "Purify My House for those who perform Tawãf ana thase who are staying (there) for wyest, pand those who bow and prostrate (in Tafsir 'Uthmäni states: When we stipulated the Ka'bah as a place of gathering for people and as a place of security because people get together there annually for Hajj and 'Umrah, they perform Tawäf there, perform Saläh and there are huge crowds. Those who perform Hajj and *Umrah, they will then be safe from punishment and the oppression of people. Perform Şaläh at Magăm Ibrähim during Hajj and 'Umrah. We commanded Ibrähim sa and Ismä'il ya to keep the Baytulläh pure for those performing Tawäf, Rukü' and Sajdah.' • Ma'ărif-ul-Qurăn vol.1 p.272 w Sürah Al-Baqarah: 125, Müdih-ul-Qur'än, Shäh Abdul Qadir Dehlawi A: p.24 ȘALAH & CORONA VIRUS Question: What is the view of the scholars of Din on the following matters? 1. An announcement has been made by some 'Ulamä' that people can come to the Masäjid in limited numbers for the five daily Saläh, i.e. for every Saläh, three to five people will perform in Jamã'ah, whilst the rest of the people will perform the Şaläh at home. Similarly, for Jumu'ah Şaläh, a maximum of ten people can come and the rest of the people should perform Zuhr Şaläh at home. To what extent is this necessary in the light of the Noble Qur'ân, Sunnah and Islāmic Figh? Until today, we have been taught that there is no permission for those living nearby a Masjid to perform Saläh at home without a valid reason. If a person performs Saläh at home without a valid reason, then his Saläh will not be valid and he will get the sin of abandoning the Jamä'ah. We ask you for the Shar'i response in this regard. Some people say that those who come to the Masjid for Salah, they should stand a metre distance apart from the others so that the effect of the illness does not spread to the others. In the light of the Noble Qur'ăn and Sunnah, will the Saläh performed in this way be correct? Will our Şaläh be done or not? We hope that you will respond with references from the Noble Qur'än and Hadith. A few concerned Musallis Räjah Khãli, Chat gam, Bangladesh Answer: 1. (a) With regards to the matter at hand, Alläh Ta'alã says in the Noble Qur'ăn, ta üat sei gal oniai feibes «Maintain with care the [obligatory] prayers and (in particular] the middle prayer and stand before Allah, devoutly obedienb»l Rasülulläh e said in explaining this verse, "I had intended to instruct some youngsters to gather firewood, then I give the command for Saläh to commence and for the Jamä'ah ' Sürah Al-Baqarah: 238 MADU0Pa4UEUUEEuAn2ur VNLộ SuçIPBT PanP TuGngnendiLo. Lur tSLrW2uEWUuESuz8."(r:J LUUrEslbnUeaLSUüASzELanuilLwişi Mohammad Abdussalam Chatgami Lecturer in Islamic Law & Hadis Darul Uloom Moinul Islam Hathazari,Chittagong) Supervisor & Chief in Islamic Law Darulifta Kahadamul Qoran was sonna Chittagong, Bangladesh. Mobile:01819-640356 Date: 29/03/2020 5 ÚliR Скуе)я Salreilal jle :SrvULluzyy 2-23606*% -ÇEDPÜUBELLEOUML between, Alläh & will keep him away from Him. Do not leave an empty space for The belief system of our government is that by joining the rows, the illness will spread, whereas the Masajid are not places of iliness, but they are places of the mercy, blessings, safety and reward from Alläh $. Therefore, it will not be permitted to practice upon such principles. They are in conflict with the Shari'ah and the Sunnah. If according to the medical practitioners, the illness can spread by gathering in this way, then it will be medical and human research. No consideration is given to this research when it conflicts the Noble Qur'ăn and hadith. Their research is limited to their intellect, which is of the level of doubt. However, the information given in the Noble Qur'ăn and hadith is based on divine revelation. There is no possibility of error in it. Hence, the definite information should not be abandoned for that which is doubtful. We have to look at Din from the sources of Din. It is not possible to understand Din from the intellect of animals. Shaytān."Ix ix lbid SALĂH & CORONA VIRUS 29 March 2020 Mufti Muhammad Abdus-Salâm Chatgami