The Office of the Mufti in Singapore has issued religious guidance on what Muslims in Singapore can do in response to the COVID-19 situation.
The key is that Islam places importance on the community’s interest and wellbeing, which in turn means that Muslims have a collective responsibility to safeguard the public’s health.
Precautions to take include:
- Maintaining good personal hygiene and monitoring one's health regularly. This can include frequent handwashing with soap.
- Avoiding the passing of bacteria and viruses, through practices such as covering the mouth and nose with tissue paper when coughing or sneezing, and avoiding close physical contact with others, for example through shaking hands.
- If fever, cough, cold or breathing difficulties are experienced, wear the appropriate facemask and seek medical attention.
- Avoid public crowded places if unwell. The Office of the Mufti cites a hadith narrated by Imam Muslim where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) forbade a sick individual from leaving his house. "This prohibition is to prevent the virus from spreading to other areas and infecting individuals. We should also follow the advice of healthcare professionals. This includes putting ourselves in quarantine if necessary for the wellbeing of our family and society," the Office of the Mufti said in a statement.
At the same time, Islam provides flexibility to a sick person, the Office of the Mufti said, as per surah al-Fath, verse 17 (48:17): “There is no blame upon the blind, nor any blame upon the lame, nor any blame upon the sick.”
This can be interpreted as being given the flexibility of not attending Friday prayers if unwell, and praying dhuhr prayers instead.
- Misinformation should be avoided, as cited in surah Al-Hujurat, ayat 6 (49:6), the Office of the Mufti added (“O you who believed, if there comes to you a disobedient one with
information, investigate, lest you harm people out of ignorance and
become regretful of what you have done.”).
"The Muslim community must always ensure the validity of any news. We should never spread any unverified news that may cause a stir and create confusion among members of community," the Office of the Mufti stated.
The organisation also cautioned against forming opinions and judging without care or consideration, such as attributing any unfortunate incident as the result of committing a wrong/sin.
"Allah knows best the reason behind every incident. What has been commanded to us by Allah is to pray and rely upon Him, combined with our efforts in ameliorating the situation," the Office of the Mufti stressed.
In the light of heightened alertness around COVID, the Office of the Mufti later emphasised:
- If you feel unwell, you should see a doctor immediately and refrain from going to the mosque.
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If you go to the mosque, please take additional steps to minimise any
risk of infection. The virus may remain on carpet surfaces if used by a
congregant who is infected. This occurrence is highly likely if the area
has not been properly disinfected and cleansed. As such, we encourage
the use of personal clean mat to cover the prostration area. Female
congregants are also advised to bring your own personal prayer clothing.
- You should also maintain a high level of hygiene by
washing your hands or by using a hand sanitiser. The use of hand
sanitisers containing alcohol is permissible, in accordance with the
2008 fatwa issued by the Fatwa Committee, which stated that the
alcoholic substance used in medical treatments (including hand
sanitisers) is not a prohibited item.
- You may hold your
hands close to your chest as a sign of respect in place of shaking
hands. This is also in accordance with the religious guidance issued in
2003 during the SARS outbreak.
"It may take some time before the situation returns to normal. In the meantime, we must play our part to help ensure that the situation remains under control and there is no further outbreak of the virus.
In these challenging times, let us remain united in care for one another. Look out for those in need, and extend our help to alleviate their pain. In particular, show care and concern for those who have been affected, especially those who have received a quarantine order," the Office of the Mufti advised.