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How Coronavirus keeps mocking at our misguided Ulema!!!

Published : Sunday, 22 March, 2020 at 12:00 AM  Count : 664
Shahriar Feroze
Shahriar Feroze

Shahriar Feroze

Our Islamic Foundation has recently come up with a couple of confusing as well as stupid rulings on the topic of offering obligatory and special prayers in the wake of the intensifying Coronavirus spread across the world. However, let's have a clear and closer understanding of them.

The first ruling was issued over a couple weeks ago, saying:  Islamic Foundation has called for offering special prayers during Juma prayers on Friday so that Bangladesh remains safe from Coronavirus. Additionally, Imams have been requested to offer the prayers in all mosques across the country. However, situation had worsened since the god almighty had little time to pay heed to the special prayers as suggested by the foundation.

The second ruling was issued, only after when the Islamic Foundation had come to learn that their 'Special prayers' were not answered. The second ruling clearly surpasses regular definitions of ignorance and foolishness, dated on March 20 it said:  Islamic Foundation on Friday urged Muslims to come to mosques only to offer Farz (Obligatory) prayers of Jumm'a. It requested all practicing Muslims to offer their Sunnah (The holy prophet's traditional prayers) and Nafl (Voluntary prayer) prayers at home.

As a practicing Muslim I find it essential to remind a Quranic ayah, not verse (as the Westerners understand it from a poetic perspective) - "And your Lord says, call upon Me; I will respond to you. Indeed, those who disdain my worship will enter hell contemptible." And this is the nearest meaning, as far as the accurate English translations are concerned, excluding all suggestive meanings restricted within first and second brackets.
The Islamic Foundation seems to have focused on the second part of the Ayah highlighting on disdaining worship and entering hell fire than to primarily offer sincere prayers, be it in private or congregations.

The point, however, I personally do not believe that the 'Corona-angel' had struck any exclusive deal with our Islamic Foundation where it will not spread during the Farz or obligatory prayers. The health safety precaution is to refrain from close contact and physical proximity. Moreover, it is also an issue about adopting necessary preventive measures and linking it with our religious rituals. Islam is about having full faith in god's predetermined destiny while taking necessary actions to change your fate. It is not about having full faith in god and doing nothing, and it is not about doing everything having no faith in god.

The message here is the old Arab proverb originating from an anecdote about our holy prophet - trust in god but tie your camel.  Faith is wonderful, but it is your divine right and directive to take care of you and well being. And while the source of this proverb has been reportedly inspired by Quranic teachings, you can find similar expressions about the importance of self-reliance everywhere from Greek fables to the Bible.

For those who haven't heard the fable, there was once a man who was on his way back home from market with his camel and, as he'd had a good day, he decided to stop at a mosque along the road and offer his thanks to God. He left his camel without tying it with the post outside and went in with his prayer mat and spent several hours offering thanks to Allah, praying and promising that he'd be a good Muslim in the future, help the poor and be an upstanding pillar of his community.

When he came out of the mosque it was already dark and beheld - his camel was gone! He immediately flew into a violent temper and shook his fist at the sky, yelling: "You traitor, Allah! How could you do this to me? I put all my trust in you and then you go and stab me in the back like this!"

And our Islamic Foundation's message has been seemingly delivered while leaving the health and safety issues in the hands of god-leave your camel in the hands of god for a few minutes during the time of obligatory prayers and tie up the camel for the rest 24 hours.

Mark my words, as the Corona situation worsens, our Islamic Foundation will probably issue another ruling soon and that will be as simple as - pray at home. However, what angers this writer is that who gave the authority to our Islamic Foundation to distinct and define the importance and value of Islamic prayers. And who is our Islamic Foundation to advice what prayers we should perform at home and what prayers at the mosque?

More to it, in order to deter the virus spread, entry and praying at the two most significant mosques in Saudi Arabia's Mecca and Medina have been restricted and also banned to a certain degree.  In a statement issued by the chief spokesman for the General Presidency of Mecca's Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina - worshippers would no longer be allowed to perform their five daily prayers in the overflow area just outside the walls of the two holy mosques.

Our local Ulema have been noticeably divided on the issue, some going as far by spewing fiery speeches stating 'Saudi form of Islam will not function here.' Another group of local ultra - enthusiasts have condemned the Saudi authorities; I have branded this group as 'YouTube clerics'. There video posts are no short to extreme forms of ignorance and vulgarity.   
The problem here is actually the sensitive Islamic sentiment, prevailing over millions of emotional Muslims and their attachment to mosques and congregational prayers.

 And the Islamic Foundation here appears to be issuing its Corona-rulings based on the Domestic Ulema sentiment - a way far from logic, facts and critical thinking.  It seems, as if a group of our local clerics and scholars have become more Islamic than our holy prophet (pbuh).

These days participating in obligatory rituals or congregation prayers have become far more important to abide by the spiritual teachings of Islam. There seems to be no room for critical thinking in this regard. To be a critical thinker, especially - when informal logical fallacies are addressed to a person should be aware about what could be classified as knowledge and the reliable means of knowledge.  

In the wake of the Corona-curse spreading worldwide, there has not been any critical thinking by Muslim scholars here-there have only been poor and third grade explanations on the health crisis based on both strong and weak Hadiths and prophetic traditions. Moreover, attempts have been reported to misinterpret and distort Quranic passages to justify the Corona-curse. It is a premeditated and unpardonable crime.

I believe it has become pertinent to remind our clerics that the Quran is actually a holy book for spiritual and religious guidance, nothing more. Please do not attempt to needlessly examine and explain all solutions to mankind's predicaments deriving from the Quran or Hadith. Enough is enough. My message to the Islamic Foundation - please do not tempt the public for attaining the 27 times the rewards to participate in ritual congregations at the cost of their health and well being.

And my message for the local Ulema, please do not deceive the simple believers with fake promises taking them to the highest level of Heaven, most believers of this country will be more than pleased to book a safe passage to one of the lowest category of heaven. And if this writer is not incorrect, majority of the believing men here do not seek 70 'houris' or virgin girls  in Jannah in exchange of praying five times in the mosque - they are likely to be more pleased with a Katrina Kaif or a Sunny Leone in the hereafter.

Praying regularly with a sincere and devout heart during a major pandemic is what all matters--be it at the mosque or at home.

The writer is assistant editor, News & Editorial, The Daily Observer






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