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Tag: coronavirus

  • Ongoing Crisis in Gaza and COVID-19

    Ongoing Crisis in Gaza and COVID-19

    Life in the besieged Gaza Strip has always been a struggle, to put it mildly. Closed off from the outside world, by Egypt on one end and by Israel on the other, and blockaded by air, land, and sea. Its people have no control over their coastal waters, airspace, borders, commerce, population registry, or taxation system. And until recently, as an unintended consequence of the blockade, a literal collective quarantine, it had been largely spared the fate of the coronavirus infected globe.
     
    It was only a matter of time, however, until the virus found its way in — most likely by way of the limited people traveling in and out through the Rafah crossing, as well as businessmen and international aid workers traveling through the Beit Hanun crossing to the north. Local authorities, in conjunction with international organizations and local NGOs in the occupied territory, are acting quickly to contain the spread of the virus as it could have a devastating impact in a place like Gaza if left unchecked.

    There are nearly 2  million people residing in the Gaza Strip, the majority of whom are refugees or the descendants of refugees forced from their homes in historic Palestine in 1948 by invading Zionist militias. A ten-year-long blockade of the coastal Palestinian territory has plunged the majority of its residents into deep impoverishment and food insecurity, unemployment, and constant socio-economic uncertainty.

    Efforts to Contain the Virus

    With limited testing capacity, ventilators, and ICU hospital beds, a full-blown outbreak could be catastrophic, and as a result, containment is key to preventing the spread of the coronavirus in Gaza, according to the Ministry of Health officials.  A curfew has been imposed on the territory between the hours of 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. since late August, and special permits are required to travel from one area of the Strip to the other, usually reserved for essential workers. Cafes have been ordered to close, and public weddings, a source of contamination, have been temporarily banned. As of the end of September 2020, there have been 2,613 confirmed cases and 21 fatalities, according to government sources. Though the numbers aren’t high by regional standards, due to Gaza’s unique situation and compounding factors, everyone involved has been on high alert.

    The situation has taken a toll on residents’ mental health which is a major concern given that two-thirds of Gaza’s children already experience alarmingly high rates of psychosocial stressors and symptoms, according to the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, which has been providing free telephone consultations and counseling. According to a recent report the group published, there has been an uptick in feelings of isolation, anxiety, and aggression, especially amongst the most vulnerable segments of society, women and children. “It’s like a siege on top of an already existing siege,” noted one resident of southern Gaza, Maram Hamdan, in an interview. “Gaza had become accustomed to a siege, but its people got used to living and loving life, releasing some steam by going to the beach, and so on, but then Corona came and shut down people completely.”
     
    The problem is exacerbated by a lack of clean water in the majority of the strip, making even basic hygiene, necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, difficult. Overcrowding is also a challenge, and compliance has been a struggle in many of the areas' densely populated neighborhoods and refugee camps.

    Challenges for the Students

    Ibrahim S., 17-years-old, told me over Facebook, “No one listens, and they don’t genuinely understand the threat of this virus. I started sheltering in place the day it was announced 4 students at my school has the virus.” Students of all ages comprise almost half of the population. Sumayya Al-Kutrywith, a 23-year-old student I spoke with, expressed frustration at having to miss many lectures and exams. “If the internet is available, it’s extremely weak and slow. It often turns off completely in the middle of a lesson. We usually have to hope the instructor has recorded the lectures for us so we can watch them later.” She is a fourth-year student of business administration in one of Gaza’s universities.
     
    What’s being overlooked, Sumayya told me in an online interview from her home, is that virtual education in such circumstances is vital, but the digital divide is real, and the vast majority of the population endure 20-hour power outages, without means to pay for backup generators or data for telephones. “The problem is bigger than all of us,” explained Dr. Mona El-Farra, a physician and director of Gaza projects for the Middle East Children’s Alliance there. “The virus has exasperated an already fragile situation.”

    Shortages of Medical Equipment

    Dr. Ashraf Qidra, spokesman for the Palestinian Ministry of health, emphasized that this point in time was critical to containing the virus and asked that residents comply with sheltering in place orders as well as quarantining for two weeks upon arrival to Gaza from the Rafah Crossing. On September 24, the World Health Organization was able to provide1000 new COVID-19 PCR testing kits, according to the ministry, enough for about 7-12 more days, as well as a one-month’s supply of regular tests. Ventilator machines are available, and more are scheduled to arrive soon, noted Qidra, adding “The real problem is in the shortage of non-invasive ventilation equipment like high flow nasal oxygen canula, BIPAP machines, non-rebreathing oxygen masks, and pulse oximeters.”

    The situation has prompted several young enterprising Gazans to manufacture their own face masks, protective suits, and even homemade ventilators. Faced with many shortages and the lack of predictable access to supply chains in the past, Gazans have often needed to innovate. One individual, Mohammed Abu Matar, design engineer and founder of the 3D printing company Tashkeel3D, has made ventilators locally. They cost about $300 but their durability to sustain a patient’s life is limited. Abu Matar cautioned that they have yet to be tested or approved, that they are a stop-gap measure, not a replacement for proper medical equipment. So many of the complications and aspects of the crisis would be eliminated if Israel ended its decade-long siege of Gaza, and relinquished control over the passage of people and goods (including essential supplies and manufacturing components) in and out of the territory.
      
    Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel, as the occupying power, is legally responsible for the well-being of the population of the areas under its control, including Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza. However, since their 2005 disengagement from Gaza, they have absolved themselves of this responsibility, according to leading human rights organizations such as Gisha and Btslem. In the meantime, NGOs and international aid organizations have had to fill in the gap. They have developed an interagency COVID-19 response plan to oversee everything from distribution of supplies and providing handwashing stations to monitoring educational needs.

  • Coping with the Pandemic and Opportunities for Good

    Coping with the Pandemic and Opportunities for Good

    It has been around seven months since the World Health Organization declared the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, a worldwide pandemic. Sickness and the rising mortalities have devastated communities all over the world, and while we mourn the loss of every soul, a believer should always step back and try to see the power of God amidst the weakness of Bani Adam, and the wisdom of the Creator amidst the chaos of world circumstances.

    In a world of ever-increasing conflict and a secular disposition, it behooves our leaders to recognize that, in fact, ultimately, they are in control of nothing, and God truly has power over all things. While it is not correct to dogmatically say that the virus is a punishment from God, as no one knows God’s plan and wisdom, God says in the Qur’an that “…no one knows the soldiers of God except Him…” (74:31). If this is mankind being subdued through the smallest of creation, what then if God wanted to rein Bani Adam in with natural forces of nature, as He did with the people of ‘Aad, Thamud, and Lut? We ask Allah for the ability to see things the way they really are, and seek safety and refuge in Him, from our own shortsightedness and wrongdoing.

    Trusting vs Testing God

    Much of the grief and psycho-spiritual toll taken on the Ummah the last few months has been in seeing their community events cancelled, their mosques closed down, and even the most sacred mosque of all, the Kaaba, with its most sacred ritual, the hajj, closed to all but the locals of the region. One might feel a pious, visceral protest and impulse of objection to this. Who are they to close these sacred avenues? Should we not trust that God will protect us? We should, but there is a difference between tawakkul and tawaakul. Tawakkul is a dual act, trusting in God in one’s heart, while taking the appropriate means to achieve an end with one’s actions and/or resources. When asked if people should just trust in God and leave their camels to roam without being tied, the Prophet (S) said “Tie them, while putting your trust in God” (Tirmidhi). But tawaakul (note the slight phonetic difference) is essentially testing, not trusting God. It is also a dual act, but in the sense of neglecting the means that God provided you with, while expecting he will provide you with an outcome you want. This is a false sense of piety and a superficial demonstration of trust in God. God is not subject to anyone’s expectations, and throughout the Qur’an, He shows that trust and action must be put together.

    When Musa (AS) was cornered by Pharaoh’s army at the Red Sea, he trusted in God, saying “Truly my Lord is with me, and He will guide me” (Qur’an 26:62).Then God commanded him to take an action through which help and protection would come to him: “Then We revealed to Musa, ‘strike the sea with your staff…’”(Qur’an 26:63). If we look at our contemporary circumstances, with CDC recommendations like masks, physical distancing, temporary closures of events and gatherings including religious ones,we can see that these are all the means God has given us to protect ourselves from this virus. Doing so is a sign of understanding Islam and trusting in the Creator, rather than a lack of faith. To understand the significance of taking precautions in order to save lives, God tells us in the Qur’an, “…and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people…” (Qur’an 5:32).

    Once Umar (R), while the second caliph of Islam, led an expedition from Medina toward Syria and enroute, at a place called Sargh, he was informed of a plague that had broken out in Syria. After consulting with his companions, he decided to turn back, but was met with resistance from Abu Ubayda, a companion of the Prophet (S), who asked him, “Is this an attempt to flee from the decree of God?” Umar (R) responded, “We are fleeing from the decree of God to the decree of God.” Thus, Umar (R) is seen here taking precaution in staying away from the plague but also understanding that God’s decree is inescapable no matter what. This is the true application of tawakkul, and the kind of practical and theological balance the believer should apply to this pandemic as well.

    The Prophet (S) gave us advice on physical distancing to avoid transmission of sickness when he instructed that healthy animals should not be watered with sick animals (Musnad ibn Hanbal), and the one in a place of plague should not leave it, nor should anyone enter it (Bukhari). Thus, taking precautions and the means to preserve our health is from the sunnah of our very own Prophet (S).

    Anxiety and Uncertainty

    Along with the pandemic have come many questions and concerns that have understandably caused much anxiety and stress in people’s lives. But perhaps a good way to help us cope is taking the above statement of Umar (R) as a kind of psychological mindset, or perhaps a spiritual “heart-set”… that we are fleeing from God’s decree to God’s decree. We don’t know what the future holds for us, but we do know that God says in the Qur’an,“Say, nothing will ever afflict us, except what God has already decreed for us” (Qur’an 9:51).If we took every precaution in the world to protect ourselves from any sickness, and God had decreed it for us, we would get it. And if everyone in the world was sick with a virus, and God decreed us not to get it, it would not happen. The pens have been lifted, and the pages of destiny have dried, as the Prophet (S) teaches us (Tirmidhi). Not having a firm belief and understanding of this in one’s heart leads to constant imagining of “what if” scenarios that are the seeds of anxiety and distress. In fact, the Prophet (S) told us that just saying “what if” opens a door for Shaytan into your heart (Muslim).

    Endless death count trackers on TV and over-politicized news coverage both from the right and the left, however, exacerbates our anxiety. Perhaps we also need a quarantine from news and informational outlets that use fear and speculation to glue viewers to their 24/7 coverage. Social media can have the same effect. It’s important to remember that what we look at and listen to is a form of consumption that can have an effect on our souls the same way food consumption has an effect on our bodies.

    It’s also important to be optimistic. The Prophet (S) said that “God has never sent down a disease, except that He also sent down it’s cure” (Musnad ibn Hanbal). Ibn Qayyim notes that this hadith can be applied to both the spiritual and physical worlds. Many potential vaccines are already in the final stages of testing, and we are learning more about the virus as every day goes by. Regardless, when a vaccine does arrive, we still maintain our faith that while the virus causes harm and the vaccine might prevent the illness and curb the spread of the virus , all is in the decree and power of God.

    We also should remember that the Prophet (S) said that no Muslim is afflicted with any harm, even if it were the prick of a thorn, but that God expiates his sins because of that, as a tree sheds its leaves. And God willing, believers who die as a result of the virus will be counted among the martyrs. Thus, even in adversity, a believer finds spiritual comfort to manage his/her anxiety.

    Opportunities for Good

    The stress has not been only spiritual and mental. The sharia sees the preservation of wealth— generating, guarding, and distributing of it — as higher objectives in the religion. And during this pandemic, many have experienced a financial disaster. Thus, this is a golden opportunity to do good. There are many people who have lost their jobs, and families who are in need of financial assistance. These are people we should seek out, so they don’t seek us out, being forced to ask. The best charity is that which is done in the greatest time of need, and in a most discrete and humble of ways.

    This is also an opportunity for one’s spiritual growth. While monasticism is not everre commended in Islam, there is a very strong tradition of khalwa (seclusion) and ‘itikaaf (retreat) for spiritual development. This is the perfect opportunity to read more Qur’an and to gain more knowledge of the Seerah of the Prophet (S). One should keep in mind that it was during the retreat and seclusion periods of meditation that the Angel Jibreel (AS) came to the Prophet (S) with the first revelation. It was in these early periods of rapid spiritual growth that the Prophet (S) was ordered to engage in tabattul (73:8), or the cutting oneself off from everything that is a distraction from God. Ibn Qayyim mentions this tabattul in his Madaarij as-Saalikeen (Stations of the Seekers) as one of the levels a believer must traverse to truly know God. Thus, instead of seeing opportunities taken away from us because of the virus, we can see this as an opportunity to facilitator spiritual growth by cutting off from things that would normally distract us from Him. Ibn Ata Allah mentions in his Hikam, “It may be that God is giving you something, and by it He is holding you back. And perhaps God is taking something away from you, and by it He is giving you.”

    Physical Distancing with Social Connectedness

    While it is good to use our time for personal seclusion and spiritual growth, we cannot escape our nature as human beings, as we are social creatures, in need of one another for comfort, cooperation, and mutual emotional and other support. One of the roots of the Arabic word insaan (human) is uns, which means intimacy. When Ibrahim left his family in the barren desert of Becca (now Mecca), he turned to prayer, asking that God make people’s hearts incline toward his family (Qur’an 14:37). This is such a fundamental human need and it was the first thing Prophet Ibrahim asked for in that situation. This internal inclination we have towards one another is a part of our spiritual health as well, and must be preserved in the best way we can during this time of pandemic, whether it be through picking up the phone, dialing into a zoom conference, or finding a way to safely gather in an open outdoor venue.

    While many masaajid remained closed, we can take to heart the advice that God gave to Musa (Qur’an 10:87), to make our homes places of worship, and establish the prayer. The Prophet (S), in fact, said that the whole earth has been made a masjid for him, and by extension, for his community. Thus, there is no excuse for a believer to miss any prayer. While we stay physically distanced from others, we should make our homes spiritually imbued with the reading and recitation of Qur’an and the teachings of our Prophet, in every way possible, making our homes abodes of tranquility.

  • The Coronavirus Beyond the Fiqhi Discourse

    The Coronavirus Beyond the Fiqhi Discourse

    All praises are for Allah, The Almighty, and may His peace and blessing be upon His true servant and final Messenger Muhammad, his Companions and his household.
    The world is currently facing one of the worse epidemics in modern times. The Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was first announced the end of December in 2019. In Wuhan, the capital city of Central China’s Hubei province, a virus had emerged that has a very high mortality rate. Most people in the West didn’t pay too much attention to it, thinking it was confined to China. In fact, many people shrugged off any possibility of this virus going beyond the borders of China.

    But then came a rude awakening! Over 7,000 miles from China, every Masjid and Islamic center in the U.S. realized they were in the midst of a fiqhi quagmire a lot more intense than the sighting of the new moon at the end of the month of Ramadhan to determine Eid-ul Fitr. It is the first time the Muslim community is faced with the problem of deciding whether to pray Salaatul Jumu’ah in the Masjid or to cancel it altogether. This is not a simple decision.

    American Muslims remember that one of their most fearful periods was the months and years that followed 9/11. Despite the tremendous fears, Muslims never thought of cancelling Jumu’ah. They always found a way and continued one of the greatest symbols of Muslims coming together each week to worship Allah SWT. Masjids did whatever it took to keep the attendees safe, from local brothers providing security to hiring police officers to keep guard; but the Salaah, and particularly Salaatul Jumu’ah, went on.

    Now things are different. COVID-19, SARS, and MERS are all Coronaviruses that cause acute respiratory syndromes. During the SARS outbreak in 2003, only eight Americans were diagnosed. And in 2014 only two Americans tested positive for MERS. But now COVID-19 has a foothold in most countries throughout the world, and as of the middle of March, there were more than 8,500 known cases reported in the U.S. This poses a problem for Muslims, as all Americans have been asked to practice social distancing, keeping at least six feet away from people and staying home as much as possible

    But while this discourse goes on in the Muslim community, there is an aspect of the epidemic that is beyond a fiqhi perspective and it is about how we process these difficult times and seek the deeper meaning about what is happening and why. After all, nothing happens except by the will of Allah SWT. As we are told in the Qur’an, “No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence; that is truly easy for Allah” (57:22). So, beyond the issue of Salaatul Jumu’ah, let us contemplate the reality of this challenge we are facing.

    An Epidemic Is from the Qadr of Allah SWT

    According to a Sahih Muslim hadeeth, everything that was going to happen throughout time was written down 50,000 years before the heavens and earth were created. So, when a Muslim hears of a calamity such as the Coronavirus, there should be no panic or depression. Instead, we understand first and foremost that it is from the Qadr of Allah SWT. Allah SWT says: “No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. And Allah is knowing of all things” (64:11). This is further explained in the hadith of Jabir (RA) who reported that Rasoolullah SAS said: ”No slave of Allah will truly believe until he believes in al-Qadr; its good and bad from Allah, and until he knows that what has befallen him was not going to miss him, and that what missed him was not going to befall him” (At-Tirmidhi). Muslims should not believe that everything will be good in this world; and when calamity befalls him, he must not question the Will of the Creator.

    Another famous hadith that we hear often is the one in which Ibn Abbas (RA)says: “I was riding behind the Messenger of Allah, SAS, when he said to me, ’Young man, I will teach you some words. Be mindful of Allah and he will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you. If you ask, ask from Allah. If you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that if the nations gathered together to benefit you, they will not benefit you unless Allah has decreed it for you. And if the nations gathered together to harm you, they will not harm you unless Allah has decreed it for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried” (At-Tirmidhi).

    Allah SWT Is the Ultimate Power

    Every form of epidemic is from the Qudrah (Power) of Allah SWT. Viruses are microscopic pieces of genetic material He SWT uses to remind us of our weakness while showing His power. He says: “…Mankind was created weak” (4:28). And in another verse, “And none knows the forces of your Lord except Him. And it is not but a reminder to humanity” (74: 31). He SWT also tells us, “And to Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise” (48:7). Time and time again, when mankind deviates and forgets who has the real power, He sends some calamity for humanity to reflect.

    Balancing Between Tawakkul (Trust in Allah) and Taking the Asbaab (Means)

    Islam requires from us to do two things. First, a Believer must have tawakkul, or trust in Allah SWT, that He is sufficient as our help. He SWT says: “And whoever relies upon Allah, then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a measure” (65:3).

    Second, a believer must seek the means, or asbaab, whether it is by seeking protection or seeking treatment and medical intervention. Abdullah ibn Abbas reported: “Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) went out to Syria until he arrived at Sargh. The commanders of the army, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah and his companions, met him and told him that an epidemic had befallen the land of Syria. Umar announced to the people, ’I will turn back in the morning, so you must as well.’ Abu ‘Ubaydah said, ‘Are you fleeing from the decree of Allah?’ Umar said, ’Would that another had said so, O Abu ‘Ubaydah! Yes, we are fleeing from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah.’” Another hadeeth describes this well: “Do you not see that if you had camels descending in a valley with two fields, one of them fertile and the other barren, you would graze in the fertile field by the decree of Allah or you would graze in the barren field by the decree of Allah?” (Al-Bukhari ).

    What Are Some of the Asbaab for the Coronavirus?

    • Cleanliness is vitally important. This cannot be overemphasized. This should be the norm for Muslims at all times. Even before the appearance of the Coronavirus, there have been some unhygienic practices at the Masaajid especially during the flu months and in the month of Ramadan. Cleanliness, according to a hadith is half of faith. Allah SWT says: “Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves” (2:222).

    • Frequent handwashing with soap is necessary.
    • Do not shake hands or kiss others as a greeting.
    • Cough or sneeze into your elbow rather than your hands. Discard tissues immediately.
    • Stay at home except for necessary reasons such as work, food shopping, or trips to the pharmacy.
    • When you are out, keep six feet away from others.
    • Those who are sick must stay at home and contact their doctor for instructions on what to do.

    An Epidemic Can Be a Punishment from Allah SWT or a Trial in Life

    Allah SWT has prepared for those who deny Him and His Messengers punishment both in this world and the Hereafter. ”But those who strive against Our Signs, to frustrate them, for such will be a penalty, a punishment most humiliating” (34:5).

    Pharaoh called himself god and forced his people to worship him. Today, how many pharaoh-like leaders think they are unstoppable? Then comes something so minute, microscopic, among the minutest of Allah’s creation, and the entire world is impacted in every possible way, changing everyone’s life for the foreseeable future. When the Signs from Allah SWT came to Pharaoh including lice, locusts, and frogs, he was helpless. What an irony that when death approached while he was drowning, Pharaoh called upon Allah SWT for help!

    Muslims must understand that when a punishment comes, it may affect both believers and deniers of Allah SWT. Allah SWT says: “And fear a trial which affects not exclusively those of you who do wrong; and know that Allah is strict in punishment” (9:25). For believers it can be a test of faith. Trials and tribulations are part of life. Allah SWT informs us of, and warns us, that when we are afflicted, we should remember that it is ultimately He who controls all of our affairs. It is He who will provide help, as He says in the Qur’an: “Do you think that you will enter Paradise without such [trials] as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, ‘When [will] the help of Allah [come]?’ Yes! Certainly, the help of Allah is near!” (2:214).

    How Should We React Spiritually When Such Calamities Appear?

    Be patient for patience in such time is very necessary.

    Allah SWT says: “We will certainly test you with some fear and hunger, and some loss of possessions and lives and crops. But give good news to the steadfast. Those who, when a calamity afflicts them, say, ’To God we belong, and to Him we will return’” (2:156-157).

    Aisha RA (the wife of the Prophet) reports that she asked Allah’s Apostle about plague, and Allah’s Apostle informed her saying, “Plague was a punishment which Allah used to send on whom He wished, but Allah made it a blessing for the believers. None [among the believers] remains patient in a land in which plague has broken out and considers that nothing will befall him except what Allah has ordained for him, but that Allah will grant him a reward similar to that of a martyr” (Al-Bukhari).
    Don’t give up on the Mercy of Allah SWT.

    Allah SWT tells us, “Say, ’O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful” (39:53). We learn from the example of Prophet Ayyub (AS). He was tested with a great illness. He lost everything — his family, wealth, and health. Yet he persevered and did not give up on the mercy of Allah SWT. Allah SWT says: “And Ayyub, when he called to his Lord, saying, ‘Adversity has afflicted me and You are the Most Merciful.’ So, We answered him and removed his affliction and We gave him his family and the like thereof along with them, as a mercy from Us and a reminder to worshippers” (21:83-84).
    Make lots of du’as.

    Du’a is the power and source of strength for the believers. Allah SWT commands by way of invitation and warning: “And your Lord says, ’Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’ Indeed, those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell in humiliation” (40:60). We are reminded that du’a is not always answered on our terms but by the Mercy and Wisdom of Allah SWT. Rasoolullah SAS said: “One of you may be answered so long as he is not hasty and says, ‘I made du’a but I got no response’” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim).
    Finally, Only Allah SWT Removes Calamities

    Allah SWT says, “And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful” (10:107).
    We pray that Allah SWT protect us all and save us from such calamity.