Indian Shi’ah Cleric:

Prayer and resorting, along with the practice of hygienic principles, are way to salvation from ‎Coronavirus

Hujjat al-Islam Mir Athar Ali said, “According to the health advice, in order to prevent the ‎spread of Coronavirus among everyone, it’s necessary for us to refrain from attending public ‎and religious places and gatherings.”‎

News ID: 450034

Date: 25 April 2020 - 21:18

RNA – In an exclusive interview with Rasa News Agency, Hujjat al-Islam Mir Athar Ali, an ‎Indian teacher and cleric in Qom, said that Muslims are facing a special situation due to the ‎COVID-19 (Coronavirus) epidemic and said, “From the Islamic point of view, the first step in ‎dealing with problems such as the Coronavirus is self-care and the prevention of falling into ‎the abyss of such diseases. Our religious texts have required us to take the necessary ‎precautions in this situation.”‎

Referring to the verses of the Holy Quran, he added, “In verse 195 of Surah al-Baqarah [The ‎Heifer], God Almighty says, ‘and do not cast yourselves with your own hands into ‎destruction’ which means the prohibition of negligence and carelessness that leads to human ‎destruction. Also, in verse of Surah al-Tahrim [The Banning], God says, ‘Oh you who have ‎faith! Save yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel will be people and stones’ ‎which means that the people must take care of their families in the face of danger.”‎

Hujjat al-Islam Ali added, “It’s our responsibility to urge ourselves and the public to take the ‎medical precautions prescribed by the health department seriously in order to stay safe from ‎this epidemic.”‎

He called for special attention to the commands regarding purity and cleanliness by the ‎Prophet Muhammad given the current situation and stated, “Islam has emphasized ‎cleanliness and the observation of the health issues that the Prophet explained as part of ‎faith and the morality of the prophets.”‎

Hujjat al-Islam Ali considered adherence to the Ahl al-Bayt and taking refuge in God Almighty ‎as the way to salvation and said, “Supplication, worship and tawassul (resorting) are ‎necessary to earn a living or to ward off tribulation and salvation but it isn’t enough. That is, ‎through prayer we can draw the cause of divine mercy to ourselves but Islam tells us that ‎we must not neglect our other duties in addition to our own.”‎

Rasa News Agency

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