Coronavirus 2020

The global disease brought by corona virus hit Singapore on 23 January 2020 with one case. By 18 February, Singapore has had 81 cases of people affected with the virus. By this time, which was more than three weeks, 29 people were cured, leaving only 52 people treated in hospital.

By Wednesday 31 March, more than 2 months later, the total number of new cases was 47, and the total number of people affected by the Corona virus was 926! The number of people discharged was 240 and total still in hospital was 423 with 18 unlinked cases in Singapore.

IBN AL-KHATIB

It is interesting to note that it was Ibn al-Khatib of Granada who first discovered contagion or transmissible disease in his book The Plague (written in 1348-1349).

CHINA

The first epicentre of the corona virus disease was detected in Wuhan, China, sometime in late 2019. It was reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on 31 Dec 2019. The WHO gave its name COVID-19 (an abbreviation of Corona Virus Disease 2019) and it was declared a pandemic since 11 March 2020.

END OF DAYS

One of the most interesting facts to note is that there is a book published in 2008 titled End of Days by Sylvia Browne (1936-2013), a controversial psychic, which predicts: “In around 2020 a severe pneumonia-like illness will spread throughout the globe, attacking the lungs and the bronchial tubes and resisting all known treatments. Almost more baffling than the illness itself will be the fact that it will suddenly vanish as quickly as it arrived, attack again ten years later, and then disappear completely.”^[1]

It is interesting to note that she also predicted, “Blindness will become a thing of the past by 2020 at the latest, without a reliance on organ transplants when a tiny digital device is discovered that, when implanted in the frontal lobes of the brain, will create or reactivate normal, healthy communication between the brain and the eyes.”

The book also states, “One of the 21st century’s most significant medical breakthroughs will be the perfection of synthetic blood in about 2025.”^[2]

THE EYES OF DARKNESS

A thriller novel, a work of fiction, published in 1981, written by Dean Koontz, The Eyes of Darkness, states, “Li Chen defected to the United States carrying a diskette record of China’s most important and dangerous new biological weapon in a decade. They call the staff ‘Wuhan-400’ because it was the fourhundredth viable strain of man-made micro-organisms created at that research centre. Wuhan-400 is a perfect weapon. It afflicts only human beings. No other living creatures can carry it. It’s worse than the Ebola virus in Africa”^[3]

PREDICTIONS

It is amazing to note that these two “predictions” were written years before COVID-19 happened. The year 2020, the description of the virus and the city that started it – Wuhan – were very precise! At the same time, we hope to wait and see that, “it will suddenly vanish as quickly as it arrived”.

AL-QUR’AN

All possible measures are being carried out to contain and hopefully eradicate COVID-19 at the global scale. As Muslims, we should understand what is happening by looking into the Qur’an.

In Surah al-Nisa’ verse 79 God the Almighty clearly says (4:79):

ۚ مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِن نَّفْسِكَ 

Meaning: Whatever good comes to you (O man!), it is from God, and whatever no good comes to you, it is from yourself …

In the Holy Qur’an Surah Rum verse 41 God says (30:41):

ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُوا۟ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

Meaning: Evil has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned, that He may make them taste a part of that which they have done, so that they may turn back.

From these verses, it is clear that evil works are from the hands of men. Even punishments were the result of the evil that man had done. Cruelty is never His attributes. God is Merciful and Benevolent.

In surah al-Nisa’ verse 40 of the Holy Qur’an, God says: (4:40):

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَظْلِمُ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ ۖ وَإِن تَكُ حَسَنَةً يُضَٰعِفْهَا وَيُؤْتِ مِن لَّدُنْهُ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا

Meaning: God is never cruel to the weight of an atom4 and if (anyone) does a good deed He doubles it and gives from Himself a great reward.

TRIAL

At the same time, there is no doubt that the world is full of challenges.

In Surah al-Baqarah verse 155, God says (2:155):

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ

Meaning: And We shall surely test you with fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patience.

PATIENCE

A true pious believer, while facing these challenges, will no doubt hold strongly to three main principles and the teachings of our Holy Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. The First and most important is patience. Patience is the key to peace and success. In the Holy Qur’an, God the Almighty clearly states: وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ – Give good news to those who are patient and patience is beautiful. Happiness, tranquillity and success will be with those who have patience.

God the Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an in Surah Yusuf verse 18 (12:18):

فَصَبْرٌ جَمِيلٌ ۖ وَٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُسْتَعَانُ عَلَىٰ مَا تَصِفُونَ

Meaning: …patience is beautiful and God is He whose help is sought for against what you describe.

RIDHA AND TAWAKKAL

The second most important advice from the Holy Qur’an and the teachings of our Holy Prophet Muhammad s.a.w is Ridha and Tawakkal.

Ridha is to accept wholeheartedly everything given by God the Almighty. It is a sincere acceptance of the Divine decree of God the Almighty.

Tawakkal is to have full reliance that leaves the person to entrust fully every affair to God the Almighty. It is a deep belief (yakin) to the power of God the Almighty. Then, relax and smile.

In Surah an-Nisa’ verse 81 God says (4:18):

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا

Meaning: …and place all trust in God, and God is sufficient as a protector.

ZIKIR

The third most important guidance from the Holy Qur’an, the teachings of our beloved Prophet Muhammad s.a.w and the practice of the pious people of the past is Zikir. Zikir or remembrance of God the Almighty is the key for a contented and tranquil mind and the heart. Be close to God, the Almighty. Repent from all sins. Pray. Read Qur’an.

In Surah al-Ahzab verse 41 God says (33:41):

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا

Meaning: O believers! Remember God, with much remembrance.

ASTAGHFIRULLAH

At this particular period of time, among the foremost zikir practiced by our beloved Prophet s.a.w and the pious of the past is istighfar. Read astaghfirullah أسَْتَغْفِرُالله any number of times, anytime. Be it 11 (eleven), 100 (one hundred) or 1,000 (one thousand) times.

In surah al-Anfal verse 33 God says (8:33):

وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ

Meaning: And God would not punish them while you (Muhammad s.a.w) are amongst them, nor will He punish them while they ask (God) forgiveness (istighfar أَسْتَغْفِرُالله)

Istighfar أَسْتَغْفِرُالله will change a person’s state of unhappiness to happiness and leads to peace and tranquillity in his  heart and mind.

In surah Hud verse 3 God says (11:3):

وَأَنِ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَٰعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِى فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُۥ ۖ

Meaning: And “Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you a good provision, to an appointed term and bestow His bounty to every possessor of grace …

The Holy Prophet Muhammad s.a.w said:

مَنْ أَكْثَرَ مِنَ الِاسْتِغْفَارِ جَعَلَ اللهُ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ هَمٍّ فَرَجًا وَمِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ مَخْرَجًا وَرَزَقَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ

Meaning: Whoever seek many forgiveness from God, God the Almighty will clear all his concerns and interest that  troubled one’s mind, clear all his distress and provide him with sustenance from a direction which he never expects.^[5]

Every beginning has an end. We pray to God the Almighty and the blessings of our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w that the end of this pandemic will be soon, Ameen.

Footnotes

[1] Pg. 209, Sylvia Browne and written with Lindsay Harrison (2008). End of Days — Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World. Dutton, Penguin Books Ltd. 80 Strand, London WC2R ORL, England. pg. 209.

[2] ibid. pg. 208

[3] Dean Koontz (1981). The Eyes of Darkness. Pocket Books. Chapter 39

[4] ذرة according to Abdullah ibn Abbas is the smallest ant.

[5] Pg 97, Syed Hassan Al-Attas, Kelebihan Ratib. Hadith related by Abdullah ibn Abbas, Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

References

01. Holy Qur’an.

02. Marmaduke Picthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Qur’an, Dar Al-Kitab Allubnani, Beirut, Lebanon, 1971.

03. Mushaf al-Madinah An-Nabawiyah, The Holy Qur’an English translation of the meanings and Commentary, Saudi Arabia, 1410H-1990.

04. Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

05. Syed Hassan Al-Attas (1997), Kelebihan Ratib, Hamid Offset Service

06. Sylvia Browne and written with Lindsay Harrison (2008). End of Days — Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World. Dutton, Penguin Books Ltd, London.

07. Dean Koontz (1981), The Eyes of Darkness. Pocket Books. New York.

MEDICAL ISLAM DAN SAINS CONTEMPORARY ISSUES ISLAM AND SCIENCE HEALTH