Press Release
Preventing the Spread of Coronavirus is a Shariah Responsibility Affirmed by Islamic Values
(Translated)

Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus and considering it a pandemic, the Tunisian government accelerated measures to prevent the spread of the virus, it suspended schools, closed mosques and banned congregational prayers, but left cafes, nightclubs, and restaurants open daily to 4:00 p.m. And it did not take any measures regarding the crowded transportation to reduce crowding as one of the most important ways to limit the spread of the virus, endangering people's fate.

We in the Hizb ut Tahrir / Wilayah of Tunisia address our people with sincere advice:

1. The most important way to confront the virus is to prevent infection by following some steps of personal hygiene; by sterilizing places of frequent touch, by not touching the mouth, nose and eye without washing hands before contact, to refrain from greetings by handshakes and kisses, and staying away from gatherings and patients or those who have symptoms of the disease, a cough or high temperature, the Messenger of Allah instructed of this by saying (saw):

«لاَ تُورِدُوا المُمْرِضَ عَلَى المُصِحِّ»

“Do not put a patient with a healthy person as a precaution.” [Bukhari] And in Musnad Ahmad:

«فِرَّ مِنَ الْمَجْذُومِ فِرَارَكَ مِنَ الْأَسَدِ»

“…and one should run away from the leper as one runs away from a lion.”

2. Not leaving the home, and whoever leaves for the necessity of work, one must follow the necessary instructions to take all measures to prevent the transmission of the disease to himself and his family, and to sterilize and wash his hands before entering to the family (home) and mixing with them, as this is a great responsibility in front of the people of his household, according to the Messenger’s Hadith (saw):

«لَا ضَرَرَ وَلَا ضِرَارَ»

“Do not cause harm or return harm”.

3. It is obligatory to adhere to the quarantine of the person who suffers from the disease, as it is a Shariah responsibility, as the Messenger (saw) said:

«إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِالطَّاعُونِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلاَ تَدْخُلُوهَا، وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلاَ تَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَا»

“If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place.” [Bukhari]

Our mother, Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, asked the Messenger of Allah (saw) about the plague, so the Prophet of Allah (saw) told her:

«أَنَّهُ كَانَ عَذَابًا يَبْعَثُهُ اللَّهُ عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ، فَجَعَلَهُ اللَّهُ رَحْمَةً لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ، فَلَيْسَ مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَقَعُ الطَّاعُونُ، فَيَمْكُثُ فِي بَلَدِهِ صَابِرًا، يَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ لَنْ يُصِيبَهُ إِلَّا مَا كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَهُ، إِلَّا كَانَ لَهُ مِثْلُ أَجْرِ الشَّهِيدِ»

“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.” [Bukhari]

4. It is necessary for everyone to show the high values that Islam recommends, such as relief for those in crisis, assistance to the weak, and cooperation with all living forces in the country to confront this epidemic, as it is everyone's responsibility, each in their roles. Al-Mustafa (saw) said:

«كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْؤول عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، الإِمَامُ رَاعٍ وَمَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، وَالْمَرْأَةُ رَاعِيَةٌ فِي بَيْتِ زَوْجِهَا وَمَسْؤولَةٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهَا، وَالْخَادِمُ رَاعٍ فِي مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ ومَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، - قَالَ: وَحَسِبْتُ أَنْ قَدْ قَالَ: وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ فِي مَالِ أَبِيهِ وَمَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ - وَكُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَمَسْؤولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ»

“All of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards. The ruler is a guardian and responsible for his subjects; the man is a guardian and responsible for his family; the woman is a guardian and is responsible for her husband’s house and her wards; A man's slave is the shepherd of his master's property and he is responsible for it. I thought he said: and the man is a guardian of his father’s wealth and is responsible for his wards And so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards.”

5. The Islamic Ummah, facing this epidemic, is facing it by relying on Allah and adopting the means of prevention and cure, armed with the connection with Allah, relying on Him, asking for His forgiveness, and evoking the contractual concepts that the believer is obliged to submit to Allah’s decree.

Humankind today is in dire need of real care by a State that prioritizes care and human values over material values and profit. Humanity is in dire need of the Khilafah (caliphate) State that brings light and mercy to the worlds and deals with diseases as a human issue and not a matter of material loss or gain or competition for interests, so it provides all the capabilities to cure the people and prevent the spread of diseases.

 Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Wilayah Tunisia

#Covid19
#Korona