Mufti Menk – How We Should Approach The Coronavirus As Muslims

			Salam Alaikum and welcome back to the show. We continue with our conversation this morning. COVID-19
is on everybody's minds at the moment people are talking about it. And joining us in conversation is
Mufti Ismail Mang from Harare. Mufti menk is going to give us some much needed advice to the oma,
especially during these times of demand. Assalamu Alaikum and welcome to the show. While a coma
Salam Rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh. Camilla, hey, it's wonderful to be chatting to you of the sub
Mufti mink, how does one is a Muslim? You know, take the news of this Coronavirus. And how does one
internalize it and how does one reacted to this news? You know, Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim. We are
		

			Muslims. We believe in Allah and we lay our trust in Allah and we know that if anything is written,
nothing will change it. And Subhana Allah, we have to take whatever precautions we can and at the
same time, lay out trust in Allah. So as much as we think that you have to lay your trust in Allah
and we have to have this debacle we shouldn't be thinking as much as reteaching that on one side, we
also have to say that you must take every necessary precaution if you look at anything in life,
Allah taught us two things. He says you play your role, and I will do mine, you know, Bill, moto
kilala, your car, your you will camel, you need to tie it lock it before you lay your trust in
		

			Allah. So if you let your car you know, open or you didn't tie your camel, and then if this, you
would have a part of the blame. But if you tied it and you made sure that whatever work capacity you
did, and then something was to come, then you know that it's properly that the patter of Allah you
hold no sin. So with the same, you know, rulings In addition, we need to make sure we understand,
nobody must ever stop a sin from fulfilling Salah. But depending on where you come from bad that
particular virus is spreading in your particular country or zone, city or suburb, you may have to do
that Salah at home. So I've heard in the last few days, a lot of Unfortunately, some of it is
		

			actually irresponsible. And some of it is even coming scholars, where they say we will never do this
I recall in 1996 there was a fire minute and I remember one alum getting up and I was quite young at
the time and he told the people read surah Yaseen, lay your trust in Allah and law he I swear by
Allah the fire will never come to you. I was walking out earlier and I heard the policeman saying,
you know, speaking on the radio saying we have to keep hold of minute because the fire is spreading
so fast and many, many people have died. So I got into the tent in the tent when I heard this album
quite a senior alum. And I got up immediately after him and I said other than sisters, they are
		

			others read they are seen they made they do us and they still became so you read your your scene you
make your do as you ask Allah and you walk out of the tent and go back to Makkah, you won't believe
it when when I tried to help a lot of the four judge walking out and out the same alum who was
speaking about it was way ahead all of us. And I'm thinking to myself, a few moments ago, you were
telling people have trust in Allah and it does not negate to have full trust in Allah and still walk
out. You know, we have full trust in Allah we still lock our our, I'm saying it the necessity makes
certain rules and regulations come in place. We need to marry the knowledge of the deen with the
		

			professionals, you know from the medical field who may say to us that listen, just take the
precaution that if it's meant to come to you to be very honest, it's not such a serious flu
especially for those who have a decent health and immune but for those who don't the oldest those
who are vulnerable and they have more chance of survival and we cannot deny that this thing is
happening in the world when like I said in one of my interviews initially I was also among those who
thought maybe this is a it's a hoax maybe it's you know being exaggerated etc. It might still be a
slight element of exaggeration but as leads and as Muslim leaders are Lama who have learned the deen
		

			I promise you the precautions the mistake people are making some some of the scholars have given a
lot of saying that you know at the time of the war, Allah says you shouldn't abandon Salah is Think
for a moment nobody is saying abandon your Salah at the time of the war that was read but not that
particular verse was speaking about fulfilling Salah where they were in. wasn't speaking about a
number one it wasn't Coronavirus, and number two, it wasn't speaking about going back to the
mercenaries and fulfilling Salah day but it was a type of Allah Allah says you know if you fulfill
Salah this way you cannot then you believe that way if you cannot you fulfill it this the another
		

			way speaking
		

			about standing sitting in line to show you that you know what the Salah is of essence, you will make
it in JAMA if then if need be for the next two weeks perhaps and I think this is going to die
quickly. If you study China, it's actually died down quicker than expected to know. So I think it
will die down insha Allah and it's a very, very temporary, the reason why I'm seizing this
opportunity to say it, there's a lot of panic out there. People are saying all sorts of things, I'm
appalled by some of the senior scholars who happen to use religious blackmail, to tell people this
is nothing and you won't be affected my back to me now when there was a fire there. And I respect
		

			these scholars. But the thing is, you need to understand that there is nothing wrong in your work
cool if you take the precautions, because if you go to South Korea, and I've done the study the
whole case, it's called patient number 31. Patient number 31 at the church gathering and that made
that attending of the church gathering made the numbers of those affected shoot up so badly. If you
take the study of Malaysia and Far East Asia, there was a Tbilisi gathering. And because so many
people were in contact with these who have with someone who was positive. Now there are hundreds if
not 1000s, we won't even know how many are affected. So do you really think it's part of unless plan
		

			to actually tell us that though, you must do this when when, when you and I know that it's
contagious. And then another thing is, I've heard people say that, well, you know, what, only when
someone has the symptoms at this juncture, it is a different type of a disease where a person
carries it five to 14 days without even knowing that they're carrying it, communicating it to us. Do
you really think that we we as Lama should just let people say that we're cool Allah, Allah lay your
trust, and just go for it and gather and don't bother what authorities are saying, don't bother what
may you saying? I think that is extremely foolish. And you know what, the same scholars would
		

			probably two weeks from now regret their statements. I'd rather in stopping people than regret
telling people you know, what, just do as you please, we are Muslim, lay our trust in Allah, our
team, and you know, they going on and on talking about your team, we all have your team, we all
ready for this, if you ask me. But you know, what we say we have others we have elderly don't, you
know, don't put your children and your family members at risk by communicating at the same time,
increase your tilava, increase your eba, increase your tahajjud increase your fasting,
		

			all that is in its place we become we should make a lot of history of our for our sins and so on.
That is all in its place. We are Muslims, we must make sure that all that is placed but at the same
time, from from, you know, on the ground, we need to take the lead, we need to make sure we've given
people correct advice. Why do they hands as well? Why are they making any restrictions anyway, if
they had so much they're working on, because they know that with that, you need to wash your hands
with that. You need to do this and that. So with your torquil if you're going to do one thing, you
can do a lot of other things. I mean, you're telling people don't make Salah you know the Hanafi
		

			madhhab is so simple. But even for Juma a crowd of three can actually fulfill it, the Shafi Matlab
is much more stringent in numbers. So nobody's saying that you're going to cancel joumana ojama no
one can tomorrow ojama. But it will happen in a different format in a different way in the
environment, perhaps in your in your home, you will have Jama Salah ojama May Allah make it easy, I
really feel that, you know, as much as we shouldn't be panicking, in buying and so on. But, you
know, we can expect anything.
		

			I've been following very closely many countries around the globe, and I promise you, you know, they
would not make such huge drastic decisions. Just for now. I know there is a conspiracy theory. But
for now we have to look at what's happening on the ground. People in a lot of countries LOOK AT THE
LOOK AT France look at America, Britain, look at look at every country has its own bamboo. If we can
lock down for 14 days, I reckon we would actually do very, very big favor in getting this whole
thing to subside. To be another thing is what is written from Allah will definitely come to you. It
doesn't mean you go out and ask for it. You know, like I say that for answers in the common mode
		

			when Oh, come on people Ruchi Moshe, you know, no matter where you are, even if you're in higher
buildings, if mode and debt is written against you, it's going to come to you. So yes, it will. No
matter what type of precautions you take, if this is written, it will come but that does, don't take
the precautions. So this is what we're saying that there are people out there actually causing panic
number one, number two is
		

			It was quite simple to say, Look, guys, Alhamdulilah hasn't really spread so much. But for it does,
we have to take a few precautions, and inshallah we will be restricting, restricting means, like I
said, Every community has to make its own decisions based on how bad it is in that community or
country. I was in Australia two days ago, and I promise you, they have drastic measures that have
made them, you know, give issue rulings, and so on in various other places. Also, it's a matter of
time before it comes to us. You know, from two cases, shooting to 2000 cases within a span of four
weeks is actually a reality. And we've already got I think, in South Africa, we've already got about
		

			6070, confirmed 116 at the moment, if you so we shifted from 60 yesterday to 117. Today, each one of
them communicating it, mmm, another five people, you can imagine what's going to be happening in the
next few moments. And, you know, one I must mention is, they see, they see, right, they see that
this certain area in China, you know, how people will maltreating the Chinese very unfairly. You
know, it doesn't mean you actually
		

			treat them badly, simply because that's where it may have started. There was another one that's
about South Korea and how it went through the church and the people of South Korea how they feel
about the moment that what happened. I promise you the masjid must not make it
		

			to the news for the wrong reasons. You know, I was very, very sad when there was a patient that
Amara will be restricted and so on. And you know, it might affect Ramadan. If things don't pass, no
one is saying don't take that away. No one is saying don't do Koran, but it will have to be in the
parliament for once in your life may be may be May Allah not make it too far. And I hope it settles
by that time. But who knows. So I was quite upset with and very sad, heavy heart. When I heard about
Amara, I had plans with my family tickets bought hotels booked. And we've had to cancel plans. But I
tell you what, now in hindsight and sitting, imagine if maccha made headlines across the globe to
		

			say that this disease prayed through the Muslims, because they spread it from Makkah, I promise you
would attack us right now in South Africa, you have a problem. What is the problem? There are people
say is there are people wrongly saying that this disease is a rich man's disease, it's many diseases
that can actually cause xenophobia, or whatever you want to call it in the very near future, when
people's jobs are at stake when their money is at stake, what might decide to take the law in their
own hands and attack those whom they feel were responsible yet they will not vote for the spread of
this disease. Imagine if that was Muslims are the brains of these people gone who are saying
		

			nothing, lay your trust fully do they say lay out trust in Allah, our trust is so fully laid in
Allah that it helps us to take the cough mixture, to take the medication to go to the doctor to make
sure that we quarantine, make sure that we don't communicate. The difference is this disease you
can't really so quickly that this is what it is. So if you have been out if you've interacted with
people, traveled, etc, keep yourself in your own self quarantine, and so on. So these are just a few
guidelines I feel are very, very important. What I've said is actually advice llama as well as to
the arm from my perspective. And and it's also based on Islam on what Allah has said what the
		

			processor has said, all those evidences in it. There's a hadith in Bukhari, which says that, you
know, a healthy person should not go on to a sick person and vice versa. So, you know, if you're
keeping the social distancing, and this is the advice all that advice is Islamic advice. And I don't
see anything wrong at all. If a
		

			massage they like in our Masjid here. in Harare, when we've just decided that look, there will be
100 people per
		

			section of the masjid. So we've got four or five sections. And that's how we use it. There's another
machine Harada has decided that they will have more than one Jamaat to Salas that may have more than
100 people. And some messages in other parts of the world have posts to to say look for for put in
the meantime, fulfill your Salah at home, and the different masajid have actually dealt with it
differently. You know, but the people that I feel that need a bit of help are those who say nothing
must change must all go and everyone must put their lives at risk by going in because we have lalala
this is this is the most important thing of the UN ICC neola in this I mean, sometimes I sit and I
		

			wonder they may not take all of us. That's not leadership that is not even from an Islamic
perspective. I picked it as much as I love them. I adore them. I respect them and kiss their feet
but I agree with this and I wouldn't put my life at risk.
		

			above two main characters. How do we as an Omar keep our spirits up, especially at a time like this?
It's quite distressing to know you know, O'Meara has been canceled. Some of the masajid are
obviously as you say rightfully closing their doors or limiting the congregation. It one can lose
hope and one can feel a little bit demotivated. How does one keep our spirits up as in Omar during
these times, nothing happens except by the will of Allah before we were born, this was already
destined for us. We have I always thank Allah for every negativity that happened. I was Sydney for
example. They told me you know, you can't fly today you go to you. There's nothing in your life is
		

			not even showing your ticket is not showing. I was smiling. I told the sister I think, and I'm so
excited to go back to my hotel, I'll come back tomorrow, she thought I was crazy. mean for you. And
I'm not saying it because it's me. But I'm taught by a lion. He's say you know what, be excited when
Allah chooses something for you. It is the best thing that ever happened better than anything you
could have done. This bring us closer to Allah. This time was soon let's promise a law that we're
going to read the Quran on a daily basis. There's never
		

			a lot of forgiveness. Let's start with our relationship with Allah in a powerful and lay your trust
in Allah. Nothing, you know, the world can beat everything can wait. It's like, you know, a person
who's terminally ill you can't tell them now you worried about work and you are this and that's the
last thing that should be on their minds. I was sitting and thinking that was the chaos across the
globe. How Fiamma might be when Allah says whatever NASA should be sukar that, you know, you people
will seeming intoxicated, but they will not be educated. But because of the severity of that
particular day, people will be running. It's only those with the man, those will demand right now in
		

			this particular problem, it would actually be able to, you know, right through this understanding
that there's some greater goodness that's going to come out of this from Allah subhanaw taala, I
really big, the allama fraternity not to be so split on this. And you know what I want to also say
if there's a difference of opinion, okay, let's take it let's accept it with with respect and leave
it to the public to actually follow whichever piece of advice they would like to follow, because
it's not going to be easy to compel everyone to adopt your own view. And it's confusing the oma even
more. I know that I was speaking a few days ago about mental health law, he many of us need to
		

			address the issue, and even your radio programs, etc. The issue of mental health during challenges,
like the anxiety, and so much, you know that the job losses, the businesses are going down the
hotel's the restaurants, or the businesses, the transport companies, all sorts of people, myself,
yourself, we all been affected by it in one way or another, let a lot take everything as he has
planned it, let's make sure that Allah make it easy for us. I was thinking to myself, and I was even
telling my own family that we have to, you know, when we eating let's, let's try and eat a little
bit less. And let's try and thank Allah subhanho wa Taala for what food is given us preserving and
		

			the highlife that some may have had, they won't be able to live it so don't get depressed because
your holiday was canceled, that financial loss is nothing compared to the fact that you you at least
in a safe place. Today I was sitting and reading some of my emails and people are saying that when
mad in quarantine in the same room in some campuses in some of the world where we are at university
and they can't come out, and what should we do? The only thing is the vicar of Allah and you know,
thinking of Allah perhaps you might want in touch with some of the world for a little bit of your
time on online. But even that don't have too much time on your phones don't read too much of the
		

			news. It's not too important. You say if you want to make dua for the rest of the Ummah you can know
a little bit here and there. Some of this is creating a lot of anxiety so we need to even address
the issue of mental health some people with a rental is going to come from with so many other things
is going to come from May Allah make it easy for everyone, time for reflection is still far.
		

			And we really need to know
		

			what about those that are affected currently with this virus and they listening in to the show? What
advice would you give them?
		

			First, Allah subhanho wa Taala is mercy and Allah subhanho wa Taala cleansing and Allah subhanho wa
Taala opportunity for you to actually earn a higher rank in the eyes of Allah. I think you most of
you who are affected by this particular virus would know that there's some not so heavy they say
it's like a light blue. It's just those who have a weak immune system and really, look I tell you if
in Sharla even in LA the majority of being cured that percentage is a very, very small percentage.
But you have to make sure that you quarantine yourself.
		

			properly you stay within the limits so that it's not communicated to others. That's the most
important thing at this juncture. Similarly for those who are struggling with old health, meaning
they the older few, and perhaps those who have a weak immune system, you know, what May Allah make
it easy for you, we should always be ready to meet with a lot of Anahata inshallah he gives us cure.
And at the same time, even if we are cured, we should still have been prepared for the meeting with
Allah are the best way so far and knowing that Allah is omega food, he is the most forgiving most
there's nothing that he won't forgive. And inshallah we increase our
		

			Allah like I say, What a beautiful opportunity to engage in Vicar, anti Lauer, and cancer and
tattooed and so many other things. So it's not this inshallah Iris virus has its incubation, and
then it has where it comes out. And after that, it disappears by the will of Allah subhanho wa
Taala. So if you can, you know, keep yourself
		

			hydrated, and keep yourself dealing with this for for as long as you have them, then inshallah, once
they leave, they will be existence, I think it's a few weeks that it lasts, and then it's gone. So
let's pray is the something that everyone is concerned about, I was speaking to go professional, he
was telling me that many, many people, almost half the globe are gonna be having this at some stage
or another, what governments are trying to do is actually just to, you know, to flatten the curve of
the graph, because they can deal with it better in that particular case, where the, you know, it's
out a little bit rather than having a million cases all at once, where nobody can deal with them. So
		

			everyone may get it, but they also know that they just need to space it out to be able to deal with
it correctly. So if you do have it and you have diagnosed positive, it's not the end of the world,
chances are 98 99%, you will survive. But what's important is not to communicate it to others, for
the simple reason that if the majority of them will survive it, we do not want to put those who have
a weak system or who are elderly at risk, because of our own doing and that's Islamic perspective.
So May Allah make it easy for everyone. Again, I say once again, no need to panic, but let's just
ride the wave as it is with the help of Allah subhanho wa Taala
		

			any final words you want to share with our listeners this morning before we let you go?
		

			I think let's be conscious and let's reach out to others in a in a very, very vulgar Islamic way
because some people are reaching out in an Islamic way without responses in meaning there like I
explained earlier, they looking at something from from a goal perspective saying nothing will happen
to us, but yet they are using it wrongly you know, it's called tawakkol tawakkol. I want to quickly
cite a hadith where the prophets of Salaam says no and not compatible. calluna Allah Allah hepatoma
coup de la raza con Kamara Zuko,
		

			if you were to lay your trust in Allah, he would sustain you in the same way he sustains a bird. And
the Hadith doesn't end there. It actually says the bird leaves the house early morning meaning
leaves the nest early morning with an empty stomach, works hard all day comes back with a full belly
at the end of the day. What this means is you lay your full trust in Allah but do what ever Allah
has given you in terms of your capacity, the medicinal knowledge or whatever else you can do, put
all of that into play and then you know that Allah will definitely protect you. And if something was
written to you after that, then there was nothing that you would ever do that would stop it. May
		

			Allah Allah protect us or Let's be caring of one another let's be very responsive. And inshallah I
hope to be able to talk to you in a few weeks when much much better position and that happened that
we become in a better position rather chill I mean shukran so much for joining us in the show of
dystopian I think so as you know fears and giving the oma so much of hope during these times.
shukran for joining us, you take care and as salaam alaikum Salaam Alaikum la vaca Islamic joining
us live from Harare and talking about the COVID-19 talking about the responsibility that falls
before each one of us when it comes to tackling the COVID-19