There’s a natural mystic blowing through the air.
If you listen carefully now you will hear.
This could be the first trumpet, might as well be the last.
Many will have to suffer, many more will have to die – don’t ask me why. (Bob Marley; “Natural Mystic” Lyrics 1977)
Are people scared that the world is coming to end as a result of coronavirus? God knows best.
Or do people feel like this is the worst disease outbreak?
No, it is not. Let me share with you some of the world’s worst pandemics of recorded history.
Antonine Plague occurred in 165AD and claimed 5 million lives.
It swept across Asia, Egypt, Greece and Italy.
Plague of Justinian occurred between 541 to 542AD.
In just one year, 25 million people were dead. Each day, death toll counted 10,000.
These are just but few of them.
COVID-19
The disease broke out in Wuhan, China in December, 2019 and has continued to ravage many parts of the globe.
It was first reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019. Globally, over 9 million cases have been recorded with over 483, 000 deaths as at June 25, 2020. And the figures have continued to rise by the seconds.
Public health experts say coronavirus is an airborne virus that attacks the respiratory system causing lung lesions.
No pandemic has placed the entire world under health emergency at least in the last century as much as COVID-19 did in the past few months.
Because of its mode and rate of transmission, COVID-19 is a novel ‘world war’.
It is a wholesale catastrophe that is threatening every aspect of human existence.
COVID-19 is a disease that respects no race, religion, rank, tribe, civilization, gender or age.
It is one infection that has united mankind irrespective of their level of development. COVID-19 has forced many countries to totally lockdown cities and towns.
The spiritual genesis
The outbreak of COVID-19 is a trial from God, the Almighty.
Trials and tribulations are part of our life.
This is something that Allah informs us and warns us so that when we are afflicted, we remember that it is ultimately God who controls our affairs.
It is He Who will provide help and His knowledge of our affairs surpasses our restricted intellect.
Take necessary precautionary measures and trust God
In an extra-ordinary situation as coronavirus, a believer is advised not to overreact or panic; at the same time, he should not be oblivious about the situation and do nothing.
Taking the necessary precautionary measures and then relying on God is something which is strongly emphasized in Islam and Christianity.
One day, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) noticed a Bedouin (desert Arab) leaving his camel without tying it. He asked the Bedouin, “Why don’t you tie down your camel?
The Bedouin answered, “I put my trust in Allah.”
The Prophet (SAW) then said, “tie your camel first, and then put your trust in Allah.”
It is very common for people to say that preventive actions are unnecessary because they display lack of trust in Allah for our sustenance, safety or future plans.
But if we do not bother to tie our camel and it wanders off or is stolen, we have only ourselves to blame.
A wise man once said: “Trust in God wouldn’t make the mountain smaller but it will make the climbing easier.”
We should continue trusting in God for protection against COVID-19.
At the same time, it is very important for us to adhere strictly to all the preventive measures advocated by Public Health Authority such as regular washing of hands with soap, social distancing, avoidance of large gathering and obeying the stay at home directive.
Also, go on self-isolation if you come in contact with someone who tested positive and contact your healthcare workers if you notice symptoms of the virus in you.
Use an alcohol based hand sanitizer to clean your hands where you have no immediate access to water.
Avoid touching your face, nose and eyes with your hands.
And, keep a safe distance of at least 3 feet away from anyone sneezing or coughing.
Again, we must know that quarantine in times of virus which spreads speedily and widely is neither strange nor new.
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave instructions on what to do if there is an outbreak of extraordinary contagious disease such as coronavirus.
He said: “If you hear that (the plague) is in a land, do not go there and if it breaks out in a land where you are, do not leave, fleeing from it.”
The Prophet (PBUH) also taught us to protect ourselves by dua (supplications). 4.
Maintain positive and optimistic outlook
A believer is required to maintain positive and optimistic outlook regardless of the situation he or she finds himself or herself.
This is what Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us, when he said: “Amazing is the affairs of the believer, verily all of his affairs are good and this is not for no one except the believer, if something of good, happiness befalls him, he is grateful and that is good for him, if something of harm befalls him, he is patient and that is good for him.” (Bukhari)
Do not blame others
We should not blame others or ridicule them because they are from a certain country or they have come from a part of the world that has been affected by the virus.
Unfortunately, we have seen physical attacks on people, racist remarks made, and people making a joke and mocking the situation people are in.
There is ease with hardship
O you, who believe, remember by God’s power and mercy there is ease with hardship.
Certainly, the one in difficulty will find relief, just as the day will follow the night.
Accordingly, Allah says in the Qur’an 94:6: “Most certainly, there is ease with hardship”.
And, in Qur’an 93:4, Allah further states: “Indeed what is to come will be better for you than what has gone by.”
And know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship.
And finally, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) tells us, “When Allah sends down diseases, He also sends down cures for them.” (Bukhari) 7
Conclusion
The coronavirus is an extra-ordinary situation and is a reminder to us all that we are equal before God.
Regardless of our social standing, financial status and level of development, we are all currently helpless, and weak.
Both the rich and the poor, black and white, believer or non-believer are now in the same boat heading for an unknown destination.
But God controls everything and He is the one that can relieve us from this extra-ordinary difficult situation.
We must go back to God and seek refuge in Him and ask His protection against COVID-19 and similar disasters that may occur in future.
Lt. Col. Abubakar Sadiq Ogwuche (rtd) writes from Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna
