You and I know that across the globe there is a scare. the scare of something that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The scare of a germ, a virus that is actually contaminating so much and it is spreading faster than a wild fire. my brothers and sisters the prophet Muhammad peace be upon Him taught us years Ago centuries ago about everything. no goodness, except the prophet Muhammad taught us about it, salallahu alayhi wasalam no evil, No harm except that he mentioned it. He taught us about it. Number one. He taught us about cleanliness and about making sure that we are always clean if you look at the ablution or wudu that we are Supposed to be engaging in before we pray, it entails washing your hands thoroughly five times a day in such a way that the middle of your fingers and the bottom of your nails supposed to be washed. It teaches us about the toes and how to wash the middle of your toes, how to wash your face, your hands and so on keep yourself extremely clean. He has taught us about out how to wash up after using the bathroom and this is something that we should not be ashamed of, it is actually such a beautiful teaching. If only we knew and if only we understood.

so cleanliness is something that is very very important in Islam to the degree that the prophet sallallahu wasallam says your cleanliness is half of your faith, so much of importance given to it and obviously when we speak of cleanlinessthe first thing that comes to the mind is the cleanliness that is physical to do what your water, to do with your bathing, to do with, you know, cleaning yourself and showing your presentable looking neat at cetera. But it also includes cleaning your thoughts, cleaning your dealings and cleaning everything else or social living and so on. all of that is included, but there is another thing that the prophet Muhammad peace be upon Him taught us. He said that if you hear of a plague in a certain land, don’t go there and if you are in a place where the plague is, there is an outbreak then don’t exit from it. In fact in narrartion, the Prophet sallallahu alehiwassallaam speaks about how a person who knows that his Sabr (patience), has been affected by a plague and decides to leave it running away from it. He is a blight like a Person who ran away from a war zone when he was supposed to defend his own Nation. So he says you don’t run away.

The reason is you won’t be able to tell if you are affected or contaminated and if you don’t know chances are there is a possibility that you are and if you were, you would be carrying it to other places. So this whole concept of quarantine is actually from the Sunnah and the teaching Of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him more than 1400 years back. when he says if you’re affected. You don’t leave and you don’t let anyone come in, amazing. My brother’s my sisters We know that the world has become a global village. We know that because of communication and transport at a very Advanced stage. This virus has flown from the East to the west, from the north to the South, there were people at the beginning saying that perhaps it’s Hoax ,maybe it is nothing serious. Perhaps It is something that people don’t need to worry about. it’s just an ordinary flu, all that in its place.

The reality is it is spreading, people are dying. It’s look at what’s happening on the ground, huge Nations have decided no more flights coming in or out from many countries of the globe. People are in quarantine. Not just ordinary people on the streets, but no matter Who you are? My brothers and sisters is your duty to take it. Seriously. Thank Allah that today We are seated here in this Masjid for salahtul Jummah, thank Allah Allahumma rabbil al ameen Do you know that there are places that have stopped the Salah in the Masjid simply because of contamination from the masajid and contamination from places of worship. Now what might say Muslim I have taught to read the dua, “Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma’ ismihi shai’un [arabic in the description] fil-ardi wa-laa fil-samaa’i wa huwa al-Samee’u al-‘Aleem” the meaning of which is I am taking the name of Allah, in the name of Allah with whose name nothing in the sky or on Earth can harm at all, Nothing can harm around me. He is indeed the all-hearing, the all-knowing. so they say once I say this prayer three times which by the way Is a Sunnah you must say the prayer. It is important to say that dua and many other duas but that does not mean that you don’t do what is known by … you need to make sure you have taken heed the means that you have to avoid contamination and to avoid being affected and to avoid this from spreading you need to make sure that you have taken every precaution. So some muslim says if I have said that dua it’s okay.

I can go for jummah, I can go for jamah (congregation), I can go for anything else because that is a Sunnah or that is a teaching of Islam Etc, not realizing if you are unwell, it is haram to go at a time like this when you know, you could be affected by the virus and affect so many others totally forbidden. How could I ever knowingly go to a public place, And I know there is a plague around and I know that the symptoms are XYZ, or I know I’ve been to a Zone where it was a Red Zone and they were… there are so many cases that and I think “At-Tawakkul ‘ala Allah“ (In Allah We Trust) I am going, azubillah, I’m hoping that you cannot do that. my brothers and sisters take it seriously. if the Health Inspectors or whichever Department Is responsible decides that you know, what there will be no more public Gatherings for any reason because of this virus, They are Justified. Did you hear what I said? We have to say from the pulpit. They are Justified because they are trying to contain the outbreak, are trying to contain it from getting worse. You have to understand if there is no jummah next week we will do salatul zuhr at home and we will thank Allah, at least we’re okay.

Say in the morning and in the evening (thrice): Amazing DUA بِسـمِ اللهِ الذي لا يَضُـرُّ مَعَ اسمِـهِ شَيءٌ في الأرْضِ وَلا في السّمـاءِ وَهـوَ السّمـيعُ العَلـيم “Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma’ ismihi shai’un fil-ardi wa-laa fil-samaa’i wa huwa al-Samee’u al-‘Aleem” Remove and Protect from Evil of Everything “In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name nothing on the earth or in the heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”

So it’s not like you have to come even if you’re sick or ill, I know of a brother very sick and he says no that is jummah,I have to go it’s my duty as a Muslim, my brother, when you are sick, you don’t even need to fast, when you are sick and ill, you don’t even need to go for Hajj. when you know, you’re unwell you it’s not like Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala wants You to do certain things knowing that you are unwell. so let’s not fool ourselves. Let’s not fool ourselves. If you are unwell participate in what is known as self quarantine, which means you make sure you don’t mix with others to make sure you have your mask, you make sure you clean, your make sure you let you know those around you know …. because I’m not well I would like to keep a bit of a distance and thereafter make sure you Get yourself tested and now comes the big one. May Allah protect all of us say ameen, if you are tested positive, you may suffer Financial loss. You may suffer various other loss. All those losses are okay. Don’t worry. The financial loss is never ever bigger than the protection of humanity, Remember that. many of us have planned holidays. We planned meetings, we planned… travels, we planned Journeys. that may not happen, some of us in our businesses, our companies, We will lose a lot of money. take this seriously, very seriously. Make sure you know, when we greet each other, the sunnah is to greet as-salam-o-alaikum walaikum, Wa alaykumu s-salam We don’t have to shake hands, especially when it comes to some time of the sort where you know, they could be contamination and as clean as you think you are, it just requires a small contamination for you to be affected before your you know, your entire family to be affected and so many others to be affected just because you thought I must shake hands because I really want to fulfill.. I must hug, is the hug fard, is it compulsory?

The answer is no, so at the time like this, even if I just greeted you, you greeted Each other with the greeting of a hand from a distance. It is fine. There’s nothing wrong with that, get used to it for a while to put on a mask or to put something on this is not wrong Subhanallah. In fact, you would have two at a certain point. We are fortunate in this particular City. It’s not that bad but who knows how bad it is? It takes a few days before you can actually figure out what has happened. So I’ve chosen to speak about this today because From the pulpit of the Friday. It’s important that we educate our people, there may come a day when authorities decide we will not be able to gather in large Gatherings or whatever purpose it is that they might come very soon. It has already happened in other countries. people started asking is it permissible for them to say you cannot gather for jummah. I promise you my brothers and sisters if there is a plague of this nature and There is a need it is definitely permissible for them to impose on us and we’re not allowed to gather. The idea is to save Humanity, remember this, it’s not a personal thing and you iman does not negate the fact that you have to stay away and you have to protect yourself. Like I see some people think I’m a Muslim. I read quran every day. I make dua every day, nothing will affect me, my brothers and sisters don’t fool. Yourself, don’t fool yourself. There are people who read quran and Salah and they make their dua, They have still been affected and some have even died of diseases be this one or another one. So don’t fool yourself. Don’t think you know what and a Pious man. I have not missed my Salah in the first sub. So, how can I miss it now?

I haven’t missed, you know something all my life. How can I miss it now? I promise you the reward for protecting humanity is greater than the reward for your individual acts of worship. Remember that. the reward for protecting humanity is greater than the reward of your individual acts. So may Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala grant us all goodness at ease and remember everything is in the hands of Allah. Let’s pray that Allah protect us. Let’s pray for those who are affected that Allah Grant and cure. It is a serious matter. Don’t be excited when you hear That countries affected, this countries affected, don’t ever be excited because it’s a matter of time before it comes to you and I. similarly my brothers and sisters, sleep Well, sleep. Well, do you know why if you would like your immune system to be strengthened put your phone away and go to bed those who have a sound sleep at night have a better immune system than those who have not had proper sleep. So sleep well. Eat healthy, make sure that you are having your vitamins and minerals, make sure that you are fit, make sure that you have boosted your immune system somehow because together with making duaa to Allah and praying to him you and I need to make sure that we have done something within our capacity to save ourselves.

Similarly, Never ever become people. Who do what is known as Panic buying, what is Panic buying? which means over there might be a lock down in two weeks. So let me go and buy two tons of baked beans because I love baked beans. So everyone goes instead of buying one tin or two tins they buy ten cases and they want to bring it back and before you .. there is nothing left for anyone. subhanAllah, don’t do Panic buying, things will be okay by the will of Allah, things will be okay by the will of Allah also, let us never ever discriminate, Based on race, simply because we heard that this outbreak could have started maybe in China, people Look at anyone who looks like a Chinese and maltreat them but literally unacceptably treat them in a way that is tantamount to a crime against humanity. That’s unfair. that is unIslamic.

It is uncalled for, it is wrong. It doesn’t mean that anyone who looks this way suddenly has the virus. That’s not true. The person doing this type of discrimination could be the one who’s the carrier? Who knows and he’s laughing at others. That’s why they say don’t ever show excitement when someone else is inflicted or affected with negativity because perhaps Allah might have mercy on them, cure them, give them goodness and you know what he might test you with the same. So Brothers and Sisters Let’s Learn to be caring for one another at this juncture. Humanity is struggling. This virus knows no faith. No race. No nationality. It is traveling the globe just like that anyone can be affected at any time. No matter how Pious you are. No matter how distant you are from Allah. all of that to a certain extent you and I know that Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala has tested us. Let’s learn to pass those tests. I ask Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala to protect us. I ask Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala have mercy on us and I ask Allah (swt) to open our doors and to make us from those who can reach out to the rest of humanity. – Mufti Menk