Coronaviruses

Coronaviruses are a group of related viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that can be mild, such as some cases of the common cold (among other possible causes, predominantly rhinoviruses), and others that can be lethal, such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Symptoms in other species vary: in chickens, they cause an upper respiratory tract disease, while in cows and pigs they cause diarrhea.

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Coronaviruses . Salah (Prayers) . Salat al-Jama’at

Can you explain with specifics how, in the current pandemic situation, we may perform prayers in congregation with social distancing?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 2 days ago

It is permissible to perform congregational Prayers keeping the social distancing required by health experts. That distancing will not invalidate the prayer nor the congregation Jama'ah.

Wassalam.

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Burial . Ghusl . Coronaviruses . Forgiveness

My father passed away due to COVID-19. The burial process did not involve performing Ghusl or using a wood chamber, instead he was buried with a white dress and mud. Please advise if this was wrong and whether Allah will forgive my father?

Sayyed Muhammad Husaini Ragheb, Sayyed Muhammad Husaini Ragheb has a BA in Law from Guilan University, Iran and has also undertaken Hawzah studies in Qom. He is a Cultural Affairs director of Ethics Group of Al-Mustafa Open... Answered 1 month ago

Salaamun alaikum
May Allah (swt) bless his soul and raise him with Muhammad and his Ahlulbait (a.s).
It is recorded in Fiqhi books like Urwatul Wuthqa that if one is buried without Ghusl, it is obligatory that he/she must be exhumed and the Ghusl is performed on their bodies and then get buried again GIVEN that 1) the corpse is not decayed and 2) the act of exhumation is possible and also 3) the fact that the whole process is not considered a disrespectful act to the buried person.

There's no need for a wood chamber if you mean a coffin by that.

If the circumstances above are not possible at all then do not worry, Allah (swt) judges us according to our actions and let's hope that your father's actions be sufficient for getting Allah's Mercy. And you as his children can give charity and recite Quran and do Mustahab acts and gift the reward to his soul and it is very much recommended as the duty of children towards their parents!

These rituals are the duties of the alive people around the dead!!!

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Salat al-Jama’at . Coronaviruses

Can congregational prayers be carried out while keeping a social distance amid this corona crisis?

This question of the permissible distance in congregational prayers is not new as many think. It has been mentioned in our books before about one thousand years. Shaikh Al-Tousi who established the Hawza of Najaf Ashraf before about one thousand years ago and passed away in 460 Hijri, has mentioned it in his book (Al-Mabsoot). Al-Muhaqqiq Al-Hilli (676 \Hijri) and Yahya ibn Sa'eed (689 Hijri) who were among the prominent Shia Ulama did mention it. The verdict of all these three prominent Ulama and many other Ulama that it is permissible to perform congregational prayer with distance between the individuals as far as the shape of the group is a congregation الهيئة العرفية. This in principle. The medical and health reason based on the the obligation on every Muslim to save himself and other from infection, add another reason to our Maraaji' of Taqleed to act upon the verdict of Shaikh al-Tousi and other old Ulama allowing the distance in congregational prayers.

Wassalam.

Salat al-Jama’at . Coronaviruses

Can congregational prayers be carried out while keeping a social distance amid this corona crisis?

Seyed Ali Shobayri, Seyed Ali Shobayri is of mixed Iranian and Scottish descent who found the path of the Ahlul Bayt (a) by his own research. He holds a BA in Islamic Studies from Middlesex University through the... Answered 3 months ago

Bismillah,

Asalamu Alaykom,

Yes, some maraja have now come out and are saying that congregational prayers may be held with a certain measurement of distancing between people in the rows.

May Allah grant you success

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Home . Coronaviruses . Eid al-Fitr . Salah (Prayers)

With the current coronavirus pandemic, is it allowed to pray Eid Salah at home? If so, how should we perform it?

Mohammed Al-Hilli, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hilli, originally from Iraq, has a Masters in Pharmacy from the University of London. He completed his Hawza degree from the ICAS in London under the supervision of Ayatollah... Answer imported 3 months ago

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Sawm (Fasting) . Ramadan . Coronaviruses

Is it permissible to skip the fasting of Ramadan, with the intention of keeping one’s immune system strong to fight off potential exposure to the coronavirus, and with the intention of making up the fast once the situation improves?

You are not allowed to skip fasting any day in the month of Ramadhan unless you are traveling or ill with an illness which is related to fasting.

It is allowed for you to ravel to skip fasting but must keep it as Qadha later on.

Wassalam.

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Mosque . Coronaviruses . Qur'an . Tarawih

In the wake of COVID-19, can you perform Taraveeh alongwith others on TV or online video where the Imam is in a mosque and you are at home, so that you can at least listen to the recitation of the Quran?

Abbas Di Palma, Shaykh Abbas Di Palma holds a BA and an MA degree in Islamic Studies, and certifications from the Language Institute of Damascus University. He has also studied traditional Islamic sciences in... Answer updated 4 months ago

as salam alaikum

according to the fiqh of Ahl al-Bayt prayer without connected lines is not valid and therefore it is not permissible to pray along with others on TV or online. It is good to keep your atmosphere pure and simply to focus on and get the best from your relationship with Allah during your acts of worship, especially away from such modern devices.

Furthermore, in our view it is sunnah of the Prophet to pray supererogatory prayers at home. This view was supported also by Imam Malik and Imam Shafi'i (according to some reports) and Abu Yusuf al-Hanafi.

With prayers for your success.

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Alcohol . Sawm (Fasting) . Coronaviruses

During this time of caution due of the Covid-19 situation, does the use of alcohol based hand sanitizers invalidate fasting? If not, is it only allowed during these difficult days or is it a general ruling?

as salam alaikum

there is no problem in using alcohol based hand sanitizers and it does not invalidate the fast. This is a general ruling and it is not limited to any particular time-period.

With prayers for your success.

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Blood . Coronaviruses

Can a Muslim use the blood plasma of a non-Muslim if he has corononavirus or any such disease?

Salaamun Alaikum
Yes it is permissible

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Parents . Coronaviruses

Can you go against your parents if they forbid you to volunteer helping others in this pandemic?

No, you can not go against your parents for such reason. They might have some reason or concerns which related to your safety and they do not want you to risk your health.
You need to keep the full respect for your parents even if they have a different opinion. You may talk to them very politely to understand the reasons of the opinion or to try to explain your view point.
It is very good to help others specially in hard times but we can not obey Allah by committing the sin of hurting or disrespecting our parents.
Wassalam.

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Coronaviruses . Quarantine

How do you recommend we spend our free time in quarantine during this Coronavirus pandemic?

as salam alaikum

quarantine is a period of time in isolation that must elapse before the affected or potentially affected person exposed to a particular disease may come back to his ordinary life. The believer who find himself in such situation may take advantage in order to:

1) Strengthen his faith, reliance and hope in Allah.

2) Increase his prayers and his direct talk with His Lord.

3) Read Qur'an.

4) Read invocations transmitted from the Prophet and Imams.

5) Read from the stories of the Prophet, Imams and pious personalities.

6) Ponder upon the meaning of life, our scope and our final destination.

7) Seeking useful knowledge.

With prayers for your success

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Martyrdom . Coronaviruses

Are those who are dying from Corona virus to be considered martyrs? If so, what is the Islamic basis for it?

Amina Inloes, Amina Inloes is originally from the US and has a PhD in Islamic Studies from the University of Exeter on Shi'a hadith. She is the program leader for the MA Islamic Studies program at the... Answer updated 5 months ago

There are a number of hadith in both Shi'i and Sunni hadith collections which describe types of honorary martyrdom; that is, they describe people who die in certain ways as "martyrs". (This ranges from things as dying from drowning, to dying with love of Ahl al-Bayt (A), to dying while sleeping with wudu.)

From these narrations, it can be gleaned that there is a certain respect or acknowledgment given to people who pass away in these ways, and/or some of the acts (obviously the voluntary ones, not involuntary ones) are respectable.

However, my understanding that the formal or highest notion of martyrdom is reserved for those who give their lives in the way of Allah (and Allah is the One who knows who they are). Perhaps one could consider someone who is intentionally putting themself at risk of infection to serve the people, and then dies, as this sort of martyr.

In the Sunni hadith collection of Sahih Muslim, it is related that the Prophet (S) described five types of people as martyrs; among those are those people who die from the plague. I am not sure offhand if this narration is transmitted via Shi'i chains of narration or in Shi'i books. However, this narration (or others similar to it) is the source of the idea, being circulated today, that people who die from the plague are martyrs.

However, with respect to Shi'i texts, it is related that Imam Reza (A) told someone: "Every beliver whom God afflicts with a misfortune and who exhibits patience over it, shall surely come to possess the rank and recompense of a martyr in the eyes of God.” The person who was told this did not understand why the Imam was telling him this, as he was not going through any major difficulties at the time, but he soon developed a painful and difficult condition that lasted for a number of months, and then he died - the implication here being that his patience over his illness granted him the status of martyrdom.

God knows best.