{"id":5812,"date":"2020-09-12T11:51:52","date_gmt":"2020-09-12T15:51:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/?p=5812"},"modified":"2020-10-04T18:51:26","modified_gmt":"2020-10-04T22:51:26","slug":"social-distancing-during-these-times-is-an-obligation-from-allah-it-only-increases-our-love-for-one-another","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/social-distancing-during-these-times-is-an-obligation-from-allah-it-only-increases-our-love-for-one-another.htm","title":{"rendered":"Social Distancing During These Times is an Obligation From Allah; It Only Increases Our Love for One Another"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful&#8230;<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The following translation of the advice of a great scholar is being\u00a0provided to assist our brothers and sisters in taking the correct stance on serious matters of public safety, in a time of confusion and widespread opinions, in order to obey Allah&#8217;s Command to return these important matters back to our leading authorities:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>\u0648\u0644\u0648 \u0631\u062f\u0648\u0647 \u0625\u0644\u0649 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u0633\u0648\u0644 \u0648\u0625\u0644\u0649 \u0623\u0648\u0644\u064a \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0645\u0631 \u0645\u0646\u0647\u0645 \u0644\u0639\u0644\u0645\u0647 \u0627\u0644\u0630\u064a\u0646 \u064a\u0633\u062a\u0646\u0628\u0637\u0648\u0646\u0647 \u0645\u0646\u0647\u0645<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>&#8220;Had they only returned it back to the Messenger and those in authority among them, those of them capable of extracting the ruling would know it.&#8221;<\/strong> [4:83]<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The more serious a matter becomes, and the more lives which are\u00a0harmed\u00a0by unqualified rulings related to it, the more dire the need becomes to return the matter back to only the senior scholarly resources of this <em>Ummah<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding the issues surrounding the current global pandemic, our world has become flooded with opinions and claims about wearing masks, social distancing, and even the very existence of a pandemic in the first place! To avoid confusion, let us fear Allah, remain silent and cautious, and implement the Quranic methodology of returning such serious matters of global safety back to the leaders of our <em>Ummah<\/em>, the ones whom He, the Most High, has made responsible for providing us with direction in the most difficult of issues!<\/p>\n<p>One such scholar, <strong>al-&#8216;Allaamah Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan<\/strong>\u00a0(may Allah preserve him), is one of those great senior resources of knowledge in our times, known and trusted by the Muslims worldwide for his knowledge, insight, and sound creed. He has spoken about <strong>the\u00a0Islamic obligation of social distancing<\/strong> recently, during the 1441 Hajj season. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/CORONA-UPDATE-HAJJ-1441-FOWZAAN.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">(audio)<\/a> The following are a translation of his words of advice, in which he emphasizes the following important matters:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The <strong>obligation<\/strong> of social distancing<\/li>\n<li>The <strong>temporary<\/strong> nature of this distancing<\/li>\n<li>Mutual love will <strong>increase<\/strong> because of it<\/li>\n<li>Gaps in the prayer rows <strong>must<\/strong> be maintained<\/li>\n<li>Social distancing is in everyone&#8217;s<strong> best interests<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Allah&#8217;s Help is\u00a0<strong>needed<\/strong> to remove the pandemic<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan<\/strong>\u00a0(may Allah bless and protect him) said:<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Taking steps to protect oneself is an objective, especially in gatherings\u00a0during the two &#8216;<em>Eeds<\/em>, the five [daily] prayers, and <em>Jumu&#8217;ah. <\/em>They <strong>must<\/strong> keep a distance from each other these days, fearing the spread of the contagion. <strong>There is to be a gap between each two people.<\/strong> Aside from this circumstance, it is<!--more--> legislated that people praying are to\u00a0come close together and <strong>not<\/strong> leave gaps for the Shaytaan, as the Messenger (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) ordered that the rows must come close together, and they must not differ (forming uneven rows or rows with gaps). He said (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace), <strong>&#8220;Do not differ<\/strong> [in the row]<strong>, lest your hearts differ!&#8221;<\/strong> So the Muslims must pay attention to this matter. <strong>This separation is only temporary<\/strong>,\u00a0after which they will return back to what Allah, the Exalted and Most High, has legislated about the rows (i.e. the base rule of coming together closely).<\/p>\n<p>All times and occasions when\u00a0you do not disobey Allah\u00a0are to be considered an &#8216;<em>Eed<\/em>, as comes in the narration [from some of the <em>Salaf<\/em>]. The Muslims must remain steadfast upon their obedience of Allah, as obedience requires consistency. They must not be overcome by boredom or laziness which obstructs them from their ongoing obedience, remaining together, visiting each other, and coming together for gatherings which are beneficial for them and their religiosity, while they hold to precautionary protocols of safety in\u00a0these days. In these\u00a0times\u00a0specifically, when health officials advise people to maintain distance between themselves, this is from the generality of acting in line with protocols of safety. So they must keep a distance from each other, until the reason [for these protocols] no longer remains. Then, they can go back to coming close together. This is something which Allah has <strong>legislated<\/strong> for them. These two matters are <strong>obligatory<\/strong> &#8211; offering worship and following protocols of safety. These are among the things that Allah has <strong>ordered<\/strong> to be done, as found in His Statement, the Most High:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>\u062e\u0630\u0648\u0627 \u062d\u0630\u0631\u0643\u0645<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\"> <strong>&#8220;Take precautions&#8221;<\/strong>\u00a0[4:71]<\/span><\/p>\n<p>This means: From everything that harms you; be warned of it, and stay away from it. From the generality of that is: Physical closeness between the Muslims during these days, as what is legislated is <strong>distancing<\/strong> for health concerns. This is from what Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has made <strong>obligatory<\/strong> &#8211; Taking necessary steps for safety, following precautionary health protocols, and taking the advice of doctors. All of these matters are from what Allah, the Exalted and Most High, has made <strong>obligatory<\/strong> upon the Muslims, in order to maintain good health, for them and their brothers, and also in order to take beneficial steps to preserve safety. As they say, &#8220;Prevention is the best medicine.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>We ask Allah, the Exalted and Most High, to remove the contagion He has sent down, that which no one has the ability to remove other than Him, the Exalted and Most High.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>\u0648\u0625\u0646 \u064a\u0645\u0633\u0633\u0643 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647 \u0628\u0636\u0631 \u0641\u0644\u0627 \u0643\u0627\u0634\u0641 \u0644\u0647 \u0625\u0644\u0627 \u0647\u0648 \u0648\u0625\u0646 \u064a\u0645\u0633\u0633\u0643 \u0628\u062e\u064a\u0631 \u0641\u0647\u0648 \u0639\u0644\u0649 \u0643\u0644 \u0634\u064a\u0621 \u0642\u062f\u064a\u0631<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\"> <strong>&#8220;And if Allah were to cause some harm to reach you, there is no one to remove it other than Him. And if He were to cause some good to reach you, then He is over all things, Fully Capable.&#8221;<\/strong> [6:17]<\/span><\/p>\n<p>So what is <strong>obligatory<\/strong> upon the Muslims during their gatherings is to maintain distance between themselves. This\u00a0will not have any negative impact on the love that is between them. <strong>It actually increases the love between them.<\/strong> It is something advantageous to them all, and it is from the generality of taking beneficial steps of precaution. It is also an act of taking advice from health experts. Taking all of these steps are <strong>legislated things<\/strong>. Holding to these matters and applying them is in the best interests of everyone.<\/p>\n<p>We ask Allah, the Exalted and Most High, to bestow His Favor upon all the Muslims, by pardoning them and granting them well-being and safety from every disease and detested thing, be they pilgrims on Hajj or anyone else, in all places on earth, East and West. May Allah bestow healing and well-being upon them. May He grant them benefit through the beneficial steps of precaution they take. May He repel\u00a0from us and them every evil and detested matter. Verily, Allah, the Majestic and Most High, is Close, One who responds. It is He [Alone] who removes hardship and responds to the supplication of the one in need, as He, the Exalted and Most High, has said:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>\u0623\u0645\u0646 \u064a\u062c\u064a\u0628 \u0627\u0644\u0645\u0636\u0637\u0631 \u0625\u0630\u0627 \u062f\u0639\u0627\u0647 \u0648\u064a\u0643\u0634\u0641 \u0627\u0644\u0633\u0648\u0621 \u0648\u064a\u062c\u0639\u0644\u0643\u0645 \u062e\u0644\u0641\u0627\u0621 \u0627\u0644\u0623\u0631\u0636 \u0623\u0625\u0644\u0647 \u0645\u0639 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647<\/strong><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong> &#8220;And who is the One who responds to the distressed one when he supplicates and removes the evil matter, He who makes you successors on earth? Could there be a deity worthy of worship along with Allah?!&#8221; <\/strong>[27:62]<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Exalted is Allah, above all [false notions] they ascribe to Him!&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><em>[End quote from Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan, may Allah bless and protect him.]<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Audio source (MP3):<\/strong><\/em> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/CORONA-UPDATE-HAJJ-1441-FOWZAAN.mp3\" target=\"_blank\">here<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Translated by Moosaa Richardson<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>FURTHER READING (Arabic) [Added 1442\/02\/11):<\/strong> The scholars are united with the rulers in Saudi Arabia in educating the Muslims about Covid-19 and in showing appreciation for the scholars, callers, medical experts, security forces, health officials, and health care workers working together around the clock to protect the Muslims from Covid-19, by Allah&#8217;s Permission. An example of this would be the official program hosted recently in Jaazaan (southern Saudi Arabia), with representatives from <strong>the Saudi Ministry of Information<\/strong> and <em><strong>al-Lajnah ad-Daa&#8217;imah<\/strong><\/em> (Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan himself) coming together to officially thank and support the health workers for their efforts, in a program called, <em><strong>&#8220;Shukran&#8221;<\/strong><\/em> (Thank you). <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spa.gov.sa\/2081136\" target=\"_blank\">[Official Saudi News Agency Report in Arabic]<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>FURTHER READING: (Arabic) [Added 1442\/02\/11]:<\/strong> The scholars of <em><strong>al-Lajnah ad-Daa&#8217;imah<\/strong><\/em> studied an earlier strand of the Coronavirus in 1436, and found that it would spread quickly, by the Permission of Allah, from camel to camel, but not among other animals,\u00a0and this could lead to outbreaks among the pilgrims on Hajj. They warned that this strand was highly contagious with a high mortality rate, and thus they issued a <em>fatwaa<\/em> with important precautions. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spa.gov.sa\/1397386\" target=\"_blank\">[Official Saudi News Agency Report in Arabic]<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL ADVICE (Added 1442\/02\/09):\u00a0<\/strong>Our teachers in the West are not perfect! Yet, when our teachers have done well in building strong Salafee foundations, in their highly appreciated efforts of teaching and spreading knowledge for a quarter of a century, when they themselves slip in an issue, like not returning a very dangerous and impacting fatwaa-issue back to the senior scholars, then\u00a0<strong>we are indeed being tested<\/strong>. Will we follow the principles they taught us, and return the matter back to the scholars? In doing so, they would be rewarded for our acting upon their teachings, and furthermore we could ask Allah to excuse their slip (while we do not follow them in it). Or will we just follow them and ignore the principles they taught us, in an issue of life and death relative to the safety of millions of people, by Allah\u2019s Permission? The latter seems as if there were no foundations in place. Let us put our emotions aside, and decide which one we would like to meet Allah with. May Allah guide us and protect us from harming ourselves and others. And Allah knows best.<\/p>\n<p><strong>CLAIMS OF MISINTERPRETING THE SHAYKH&#8217;S WORDS:<\/strong> The audio has been provided, and you are welcome to review it. Anyone who finds any error or inaccuracy in this or any of our work can submit that as a comment, and corrections will be made (if there is an error) <em>in shaa&#8217; Allah<\/em>. But <em><strong>please<\/strong><\/em> do communicate&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>EMOTIONAL RESPONSES\u00a0 AND UNJUST CRITICISM (Added 1442\/02\/11):<\/strong> With a high level of confidence that\u00a0our Salafee foundations will shine through, <em>in shaa&#8217; Allah<\/em>, I say: I do not respond to personal insults, baseless claims, or unjust criticism, <em>in shaa&#8217; Allah<\/em>. It is indeed saddening to see such\u00a0things from good people who are known for much better character and much more beneficial and precise criticism. Their slips are forgiven even before they apologize, and their excellent contributions and hard work is what remains, if Allah so wills! And special thanks to all those who have offered excellent reminders, right when needed, right to those who need them, in the best way. <em>Jazaakum Allahu khayran!<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>FURTHER READING:\u00a0<\/strong>A large 3-volume Fiqh journal (over 2,000 pages total), focused on issues of Covid-19 (36 different important topics authored by different researchers), compiled by the Saudi Fiqh Association, with an introduction by the Mufti Shaykh &#8216;Abdul-&#8216;Azeez Aal Shaykh. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spa.gov.sa\/2137022\" target=\"_blank\">Read about it here (in Arabic).<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful&#8230; The following translation of the advice of a great scholar is being\u00a0provided to assist our brothers and sisters in taking the correct stance on serious matters of public safety, &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/social-distancing-during-these-times-is-an-obligation-from-allah-it-only-increases-our-love-for-one-another.htm\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[84,85,87,96,860,64,180,162,59],"tags":[1551,1527,1552,1528,1146,122,1555,1558,1556,1554,1557,1549,1550,246,1553],"class_list":["post-5812","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-aqeedah-manhaj","category-fiqh-islamic-rulings","category-general-reminders","category-islamic-manners-behavior","category-news-2","category-original-articles","category-questions-answers","category-book-sunnah","category-translations","tag-conspiracy-theories","tag-coronavirus","tag-covid-conspiracy","tag-covid-19","tag-fatwa-on-cinema","tag-fowzaan","tag-gaps-in-prayer-rows","tag-islam-and-covid","tag-islamic-covid-regulations","tag-islamic-rulings","tag-muslims-and-covid","tag-pandemic","tag-salih-al-fawzan","tag-senior-scholars","tag-social-distancing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5812","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5812"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5812\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5870,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5812\/revisions\/5870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5812"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5812"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bakkah.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5812"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}