Abstract

Living in a complex and sophisticated world within which rules and laws are governing man’s life necessitates a full understanding of these laws and rules. Two realms are realized so far for the entity; natural and spiritual. Here in this article we try to prove the existence of the invisible part of the nature and that the spiritual division of it is the cause and the nourisher of the natural part. It has a much wider scope. All natural events are having spiritual origins, therefore man needs spiritual solutions parallel to natural and physical ones in facing phenomena. Spirituality is a familiar concept for all of us. In this article we aim to have an eligible definition for it and we mean to fix it in our lives more tangibly so that we interchangeably defend maladies in life through a spiritual process. A more comprehensive definition for spiritual is delivered here, then two main branches of spiritual remedies for the case of Coronavirus or the COVID-19 – cognitional and practical approaches- are introduced. Because there are philosophies behind any phenomena by God and many of them are concealed from our eyes, and He is the one who has created and can stop finally any pandemic, taking a more spiritual procedure is so influential because He is a whole spiritual being as the two elements better be compatible to meet a conclusive result. However, this does not mean taking no natural procedure.

 

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID_19, Spiritual Solutions, Philosophy of Pandemics

Coronavirus, is a pandemic which has spread through more than a half of the world. Being scientifically and practically aware of any such crises is a dire need for all. For some health issues there needs to be an individual exercise, for some other a social and for some rare ones like this a more widespread healthcare is to be done nationally and internationally by all people in order to prove they concern the health for all. Here we face an international exercise in which all energies are to be mobilized to attack such a rebel.

As it is explained later in this text, the world we are in, is combination of abstract and concrete elements. We must, then, be aware of two aspects of entity i.e. physics and metaphysics. As the latter covers a much wider range of existence we then ought to have more special attention on it.

As it is of highest concern in any scientific procedure, we propose a new definition for the concept of spirituality after reviewing the common definition revealed for it in psychological and philosophical literatures.

The Meaning of Spiritual

In terms of psychology in modern times, the term is used to refer to religious traditions[2] and broadened to refer to a wider range of experience, including a range of esoteric traditions and religious traditions. Modern usages tend to refer to a subjective experience of a sacred dimension[3] and the “deepest values and meanings by which people live”,[4] often in a context separate from organized religious institutions,[5] such as a belief in a supernatural (beyond the known and observable) realm,[6] personal growth,[7] a quest for an ultimate or sacred meaning,[8] religious experience, [9] or an encounter with one’s own “inner dimension”.[10]

Whatever is metaphysical or a physical related to a metaphysical is called spiritual. The metaphysicians first divide substance into five kinds: ‘matter’ (mâdddah), ‘form’ (shûrah), ‘body’ (jism), ‘soul’ (nafs) and ‘intellect’ (‘aql). Inductive evidence for the existence of these substances forms the basis of this classification.

‘Intellect’ is a substance devoid of ‘matter’ both in its essence and in act. ‘Soul’ is a substance devoid of ‘matter’ essentially but associated with it in act. ‘Matter’ is a substance that possesses potentiality. ‘Bodily form’ (alsûrat al-jismiyyah) is a substance that gives actuality to ‘matter’ in respect to the three dimensions. ‘Body’ is a substance extended in three dimensions. Here we emphasize more on the Soul for it is the substance related directly to body and we will consider how they are both connected to each other and how one is influenced by the other. First, let’s focus on the quality of this link:

On the quality of the relation between the soul and the body, as the former is immaterial and belongs to the superior realm of the universe it cannot penetrate into the latter, which is material and belongs to the inferior realm of the universe, without a medium. This medium which must be a bright delicate fabric called by physicians “the steamy soul “. This soul is flowing in whole body through a collection of nerves attached to the brain. (Mulla Sadra, 1990)

Now we are about to speak on the effects and influences,

The voluntarily acts of man is whether internal or external. That is to say is related to the soul or to the body. The movements of hands and feet, eating or drinking, walking or lying are all bodily acts while thinking, feelings of sadness or happiness, love or hatred and even issues as faith are called spiritual acts.

Now let’s ask where do these acts originate. Beginning with bodily acts it is evident through two premises that they are not created or even controlled by themselves. First premise is that all effects are created by a special cause in the universe. Second is that when we refer to our conscience we conclude that our will, or intention, or desire make us move or do a special job. Though we say “will” or “desire”, we cannot see none of them. Yes, they are both invisible though they exist.

Hence, our bodily acts also have spiritual causes which originate from them. By this argument we may conclude that our physical acts are also spiritual. Can’t you say A is the cause of C when A is the cause of B, and B is the cause of C?

Yes, you can.

So we may conclude that an external or physical acts are also enumerated as internal or spiritual acts because they are originally created by the soul or spirit.

Three Layers of Spirituality

Therefore 3 layers of spirituality exists: Mind, Soul, Act. although our actions are physical they are also spiritual as one is the source for the other. Mind and Soul in being metaphysical are not questionable but how an act can be metaphysical? In order to explain it we shall say that two types of actions are possible: The ones which are done for a physical goal like buying food for eating, and the ones done for a spiritual goal like eating to become saturated, or to drink to relieve from thirst; all of which are spiritual things.

Some of these goals are instinctive as of animals and some others are understood by Innate Human Nature;[11] as instinct is the common element between the two. And some goals are merely understood by deep thought. While some others are only understood through divine teachings. Thus some types of spiritual actions are to be discussed by religious terms. However, this does not neglect reasoning and thinking over them as whatever is religious is also reasonable and vice versa. But as for the limitation of man’s thought, knowledge and understanding it is crystal clear that we ought not reject the wise teachings of the Revelation.

Thus, all actions and deeds, generally, whether internal or external, are spiritual, however, in its specific sense spiritual means any Internal action that leads to a minor or a major change inside and might lead to change in attitudes and behaviors.

But from where do these teachings come from and how can we trust them?

Wisdom of God and the Apostles

God is wise and a wise creator creates the world with rules and regulations. He is also merciful so He must let his creature know what is crucial for them. So He appoints apostles as mediums between the creator and the creature. All of this is logical and reasonable.

Fake or real Apostle?

But how to make sure that he is the right apostle not a fake one, it depends on some signs such as: the rightfulness of his message, his attitude and ethics, his followers, his miracles, he was foretold by previous apostle. All these signs altogether help distinguish between the right and a wrong person as a messenger.

Now we know that:

• The Soul has a direct influence to the Body.
• The source of our acts are also metaphysical.
• In order to know and to do the right, we need two means: Reason and Revelation.

Reason and Philosophy; the Difference

There is a difference between ‘Illah (reason) and Hikmah (wisdom); ‘Illah is the Ba’ith (incentive) for the legislation, which is realized from the text, as we have seen previously. However, there are texts that show the meaning of the justification according to the tools of reasoning used or the composition, but other connotations, whether from the same or other text, disrupt the meaning of Ta’leel (justification), and indicate other meaning which is the aim of the Lawgiver (Ash-Shari’ i.e., Allah) which He (swt) intended by the Tashree’ (legislation) and not the Ba’ith (incentive) for the legislation. This aim or result that shows the intention of the Lawgiver (Allah) for the legislation has been termed by Istilaah (Technical Convention) “Hikmah” and not ‘Illah because it is not the Ba’ith (incentive) for the legislation.

Thus, ‘Illah (reason) goes along with the Ma’lool (reasoned rule) in its existence and absence, and is never absent, whereas Hikmah is not so.

Here in this article we concern both expressions. We talk about “reason” when we want to discover the source of a malady so to stop it. We speak about “philosophy” when we don’t have access to the “reason” which is the cause of an effect from which the effect has originated. We lack knowledge about the “reason” or even we realize that but can’t handle it because it is beyond our power to reach it. Here it is the time for philosophy to speak about why this has happened. Is there a super power behind this and it is He who produces and handles? What are the possible benefits behind this?

Preventive & Therapeutic Solutions

Solutions are categorized in two cognitional and practical approaches. Mere spiritual steps, though in first glance seems to be as part of cognitional steps, are embedded in practical approaches because some special actions need to be accomplished therein while in cognitional steps we only need information and data which is rather a matter of understanding and knowing.

Cognitional Approach

As it was mentioned before there are three layers of metaphysics for the very creature of man. One and lowest part of that which is a medium between our physical receivers (as eyes, for instance, receive a scene from the outer world and transfer it to the brain, then the brain analyzes that scene and its relation to other data and the makes outlines and judgements). So we need

• Data
  • Analysis
  • Judgement

In any phenomena. What articles and writings such as this one do is to facilitate gaining those three levels above.

Before any kind of action one must gather the correct data first from the authentic sources. Many phenomena in the world exist and many of them are absent from our understanding let alone the analysis and let alone the correct judgement.

It is too difficult to find the reality at the end, so to speak, but we can become closer and closer to reality as possible. It is when we can decide and the make a proper action.
The first step of this procedure is to study and gather as much data (from authentic sources) as we can. That is why we discuss, predominantly, about the cognition or knowing.

The Source of Pollution

To know Who created it and why so that all start campaigns and to take defensive and invasive steps against the initiator of such a pandemic if it was done deliberately.

The most commonly reported mainstream media account of the creation of the Coronavirus suggests that it was derived from an animal borne microorganism found in a wild bat that was consumed by an ethnic Chinese resident of Wuhan. But there appears to be some evidence to dispute that in that adjacent provinces in China, where wild bats are more numerous, have not experienced major outbreaks of the disease. Because of that and other factors, there has also been considerable speculation that the Coronavirus did not occur naturally through mutation but rather was produced in a laboratory, possibly as a biological warfare agent.

However, there are three assumptions in this regard:

1. The Coronavirus did not occur naturally through mutation but rather was produced
   in a laboratory, possibly as a biological warfare agent.[12]
2. Its escape from the Wuhan Institute of Virology Lab and into the animal and human population could have been accidental. Technicians who work in such environments are aware that “leaks” from laboratories occur frequently.
3. Washington has created and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy and military might down a few notches.

“It might be possible that Washington has created and unleashed the virus in a bid to bring Beijing’s growing economy and military might down a few notches.”[13]

If it is a terrorist attack, shouldn’t the targeted ones do something against it? However, talking about the strategies to cope with this issue is beyond the scope of this writing.

Be Positive and Have an Optimistic Outlook

You might ask “Be” in the title is rather an act that must be rendered by our physical organs though it is accounted as a knowing operation which is totally mental.

In response to this question we say that this “be” is an interior act that must be accomplished by mind.

The best way for gaining the property of optimism is to

1. Gather information from authentic sources as Quran says:

You who believe, if some scoundrel should come up to you with some piece of news, clear up the facts lest you afflict some folk out of ignorance, and some morning feel regretful for what you may have done.[14]

As it could be seen God almighty mentions that for avoiding regret, trust only authentic sources and teller.

Unfortunately, today, because of massive explosion of the cyber world especially the Social Networking Sites[15] and on androids there are a lot of rumors and hoaxes  transferred hand in hand and tongue y tongue through individuals forwarding millions of messages to one another without caring about its originality and authenticity.

This has caused to many individual, social and even political troubles in some cases.

• The second stand to relieve from the pangs of pessimism and to insure optimism is to incline to righteous and optimistic gatherings such as optimist friends and virtuous companions. As it is quoted that Imam Ali a.s has said: Befriending the evil doers leads to evil conjecture to good doers.[16]

Always have a positive outlook regardless of the situation you’re in, this is what our Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught us, when he told us:

“Amazing is the affair 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.”

He also said:

لَا طِيَرَةَ وَخَيْرُهَا الْفَأْلُ

“There are no omens, but the best of it is optimism”

When we look through the tradition of Islam we find many examples of the Prophet (PBUH) being optimistic event though he was in a dire situation.

The Muslims in the battle of Ahzāb were surrounded by the enemy from every direction, they were in a state of loss, the Prophet (PBUH) commanded them to build a trench around the city of Madinah to protect themselves, as they were digging the trench they came across a huge rock and struggled to break it.

The Prophet took the sledgehammer from Salman al-Farisi.  He struck the rock saying, “Bismillah”. One third of the rock broke. He said, “Allahu Akbar! I was given the keys of Damascus”. He struck it again and more broke and he said “I was given the keys of Persia” and he did so the third time until he had broken it and said “I was given the keys of Yemen!”

At a time when morale was low, the Prophet (PBUH) remained optimistic. The companions were astounded thinking that they under siege with no way out, yet the Prophet (PBUH) was talking about conquering Damascus, Persia, and Yemen! How true was the Prophet (PBUH) when eventually these lands were conquered; optimism in the face of adversity, and optimism in the face of pessimism.

We should also 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 are also other remedies psychologically been mentioned in books. But these two are the most general ones that can help in general.

Believe in the Unseen and Metaphysics.

We know impromptu that the world has two realms and dimensions; physical and meta-physical. In order to prove the meta or the invisible world we have a simple argument.

Have you ever thought of some phenomena such as happiness, joy, peace, beauty, comfort, security, felicity, perfection, life and many others alike, all of which are positively taken us for granted? The question here is that where are these phenomena? Are they concrete and physical or abstract and spiritual? Do they really exist or we just have accredited them though they do not have a bit of influence in our life because they are nothing? Would you say they are nothing? For if I say nothing I mean that they have no influence in our life whereas I myself can swear to God that all people are trying hard in their life only and only for these phenomena. They eat for life, they wear for beauty and excellence, they sleep for relaxation and comfort, they fight for security, and finally they live for happiness, felicity and perfection in all aspects of life. You see? All of them are the goals for a living. Each one of them is so powerful to be appointed as a purpose in the system of life.

Let me continue with an example; just try to find something you like, an object such as a picture or beautiful sight or a flower or something, around you that gives you a good feeling when you look at it. Now sit somewhere and close your eyes and clear your thoughts. Open your eyes and look at it for few minutes. What’s happening? Does it give you a good mood? A good feeling? Now close your eyes to stop receiving signals from that. Now reopen and look again. Let me ask you a question; “do you look at it solely and merely for itself or you look at it for a feeling it gives you? The answer is clear; you do it for the feeling, but where is the feeling? Were there some kinds of interactions between me and the picture? Yes. There was something between you and it while seeing it. A spectrum of spirituality was given to you by that picture which was invisible but existing and for the most part you live for it.

Many things in the world are not seeable with these two physical eyes but we see them with the eyes of our mind and heart, with the eyes of our mentality and spirituality. A new idea ha?! Does our mind and heart have eyes? Honestly yes. Not only you have two other eyes but also you see much more clearly with them than the first spherical eyes on our face. They go deeper into things; they discover intangible parts our life. They excavate precious diamonds from the ocean of the spirited world. They prove that love exists, purity lives, happiness lays, and kindness runs. Now can I say that I live for nothing? Not at all. I live for everything. If they are everything then they do exist, of course not physically but spiritually and mentally. Then let’s call out: “Oh man! You are living for the unseen. You are living for the things you don’t sea. You are living for the soul. Oh man! You are not physics! You are a spirit!”

You see sister? You see brother? You and me are living for the things that are REAL and are UNSEEN. Now that we have gone deeper into the ocean of the unseen and the invisible world and we must swim deeper and deeper then we ought to know among all these, what is real and what is unreal. Some things only do exist in our mind but have no sign of existence outside, while some vice versa.

 But let me tell you first that the realm of the unseen is much greater than the seen. Because the seen world is limited into the boundaries of materiality. So it is limited. It has a measurable time, place and size. It’s like the very book in your hand, reading. But the unseen world is not limited in relation to time, place and size. Like a soul which can travel through time and space and can be everywhere. However, its presence in all times and in all places and in all sizes is fully dependent upon its power and strength. The more powerful and stronger is the spirit the more it can travel through time, space and improve in size inasmuch as it becomes beyond any size.

Figure 1: The realms of each world

Knowing the Laws and Rules Governing the Man’s Life

• Knowledge about body and what is good and what is bad for it.

God is wise so he created the world with rules and laws. We know that if the was not discipline and equilibrium in things they must have been ended very long ago. So there is a chaotic balance that has caused the entity and nature last long for millions of years.

The body is not an exception; it is a system that every bolts and nots need special nutrition to work well. In times of illness or injury and it needs special drugs or special tools to fix it. We cannot neglect the mechanism of this system in how it operates and that all organs internally and correlatively work.

• Knowledge about the rules governing the nature other than the man.

One group of these rules according to religious and also based on our observations is the tradition or the rule of Trials and Tribulations.

Difference between Ibtilaa’ & Balaa’[17]

These two divine traditions meticulously differ. There are also criteria to recognize them. Before that let’s have a definition for each:

The world as philosophers say is the world of obtrusions[18] and all powers are intermingling within this bio system so that each finds a path towards perfection. That is why this obtrusion is not an evil thing rather it is for the benefit of man. And within it one can develop and proceed, otherwise the world would be so dull and stagnant.

Thus the world is a place to test and to improve its inhabitants. This test has its requisites, tools, laws, and outcomes. In different verses of the holy Quran God almighty represents clearly these laws.

 Trials and tribulations are part of life, this is something that Allāh informs us of and warns us so that when we are afflicted, we remember that it is ultimately Allāh who controls of our affairs. It is He who will provide help and His knowledge of our affairs surpasses our restricted intellect. As He says in the Qur’ān:

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تَدْخُلُوا الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُمْ مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْا مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ مَسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاءُ وَالضَّرَّاءُ وَزُلْزِلُوا حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللَّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“Do you think you that you will enter Paradise without such [trials] as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, ‘When [will] the Help of Allāh [come]?’ Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allāh is near!”

Allāh sends us tests to see how we will react and handle them. How are we going to respond? When you hear the news that your umrah trip is cancelled because of this virus, how will you respond? When you hear your flights have been cancelled, your loved ones have fallen ill, how will you respond?

Allāh says in the Qur’ān:

وَلَنَبۡلُوَنَّكُم بِشَىۡءٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ وَٱلۡجُوعِ وَنَقۡصٍ۬ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡوَلِ وَٱلۡأَنفُسِ وَٱلثَّمَرتِ‌ۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ”

“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient”

 So how do we respond to a calamity? Allāh tells us immediately after the previous āyah:

ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَآ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ۬ قَالُوٓاْ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّآ إِلَيۡهِ رَجِعُونَ

“Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allāh, and indeed to Him we will return.’”

A Muslim is patient in trials; he knows Allāh will never forsake him, nor will Allāh burden him with a trial that is more than what he can handle.

THIS IS NOT SOMETHING NEW

Illnesses and viruses such as the coronavirus are not something new, nor is the fact that people are afflicted with illnesses.

The companions once asked the Prophet (PBUH):

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ , أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَشَدُّ بَلاءً ؟ قَالَ : الأَنْبِيَاءُ , ثُمَّ الأَمْثَلُ فَالأَمْثَلُ

“Oh Messenger of Allāh, who from amongst the people were tested the most? The Prophet (PBUH) responded and said, the Prophets, then the next best and then the next best.”

We see the great Prophet of Allāh, Ayyūb (PBUH),اwas tested with a great illness.  His story is synonymous with patience. He lost everything; his family, wealth, and health. Some narrations say he was bedridden for 18 years, tested with a great illness, yet we find he did not give up hope in Allāh and turned to him in this great trial. Some scholars have said that his illness was so severe that his flesh dropped from his body and nothing remained on him except his bones and muscles

Allāh tells us his story in the Qur’ān:

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ

“And Ayyūb, when he called to his Lord, saying ‘Harm has inflicted me and You are the Most Merciful”

فَاسْتَجَبْنَا لَهُ فَكَشَفْنَا مَا بِهِ مِن ضُرٍّ ۖ وَآتَيْنَاهُ أَهْلَهُ وَمِثْلَهُم مَّعَهُمْ رَحْمَةً مِّنْ عِندِنَا وَذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَابِدِينَ

“So We answered him and removed his affliction and We gave him his family and the like of them with them, as a mercy from Us and a reminder to Worshippers.”

The story of Prophet Ayyūb (PBUH) is one filled with lessons for us to ponder over. The virtue of patience is shown to us in the Prophet Ayyūb (PBUH) through some of the direst situations that one can come across in life.

• Knowledge about the rights governing the relationships between different entities.

All interactions with and in relation to entities shape our life. Then two aspects which we, now, considerably attest are wither things or actions. With regard to things, we believe. With regard to actions we move. In relation to any entity or being we must make a respective stand and approach that deserves it. Now you see how big the world is and how complex our universe is created and how meticulous and comprehensive our actions must be lest we ruin the orders inside that. we are about to realize and recognize. To realize what really exists and to recognize the true attitude towards that. All that we do or render is defined in the form rights. Right is when something should be considered specially according to its due. He/she/it has special characteristics embedded with, that when I want to communicate or correspond with it I shall watch them, and care about them in order not to neglect or undermine his/her/its rights. If I disrespect this right, I have oppressed him/her/it and I have committed the rules of creation. It means I have committed sin. Thus, sin is the break of the laws of universe. The laws with respect to things, i.e. objects, plants, animals, humans and God. Then all that we do should be measurably defined and considerably watched otherwise we might deformalize the nature and the life on earth accordingly.

So, the matter of COGNITIONis so serious in life. We must know. We must know the real. We must know the right. For if it’s not that way we violate the rules, and this violation means nothing but demolition of life little by little. It is as if somebody is deliberately putting himself/herself in to danger and desires to end his life.

Then knowing the real and the right is our most important duty in life. Driving a car without a license puts the life into danger. Using the computer without the knowledge if not risky at the least wastes the time at the most. Man naturally and instinctively renders his job with knowledge. The world is a big system in which all parts are cohesively and uniquely interrelated. Sometimes I need to press enter, the other time Esc, and the other time the other.  Few codes and commands might be interchangeably used but that still calls for cognition.

• Knowledge about the remedies in times of hardships.

Studying is the first step to study the metaphysical causes behind any phenomena. (only Aql[19] can guess with the help of divine teachings because the metaphysical things are immaterial and cannot be tested in laboratories under the most sophisticated technologies). So to find the cause (philosophy) and the source of the pollution is so crucial.

Be Aware of the Signs of God

Killing or even disturbing the signs of God whether among humans or even nonhumans causes natural disasters. (Surah A’raaf/73) as the tribe of Thamud killed the camel so God’s chastisement met them.

Do not Lose Belief and Piety

For this item refer to surah A’raaf verse 96 of the Holy Quran which clearly enumerates the two highly ranked elements which are the means of achieving and receiving the blessings from the heaven and the earth. The two are having faith and being pious meanwhile.

No Evil but the World of Conflicts

Conflict [20] is to know there is always hardship, difficulty and enemy then we must be all the times prepared.

Our world which is rather a physical one is a colossal gathering of powers which fight with each other. Newton found this rule in universe and we call it Newton’s Laws of Motion. According to the first and third law which assume that  In an inertial frame of reference, an object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by a force. And When one body exerts a force on a second body, the second body simultaneously exerts a force equal in magnitude and opposite in direction on the first body. We then must fight. But this does not mean negligence of the others’ rights. Not at all. This is a fare fight which is to fight with negative energies to proceed both you and the other.

Hence, there is a virus named Corona or COVID-19. It wants to survive and I want to survive too. He fights for life, so do I. He is intelligent, so I must be, too.

Here are practical ways to show our intelligence to it.

Practical Approach

Spiritual Hygiene (Sanctifying the Soul or the Nafs)

Soul is the final goal. It is the one that remains with all that contains therein. It is the deepest layer of man and the source of all good and bad actions and even thoughts.

After death, whatever is physical is vanished, what we have done is vanished and what has penetrated deep into our Nafs or soul remains. Data of the mind which are received by the senses and analyzed by the brain are temporal unless it has become a data of Nafs which is a deeper layer in relation to mind and the data of Nafs cannot be part of Nafs unless it has become a habit only by repeating the act.

Evacuate Evil

Clean the Soul by cleaning the mind (thoughts: correct thinking about correct things) and by cleaning the heart (some know the truth but cannot be humble with it; for these people if a good advice doesn’t work, a preventive or deterrent force will work to stop them; this force for common people is the law but for elites and powerful politicians when they are not corrected is the communal power i.e. people get united against them in a revolutionary act).

Trust in and Confidence to God

The more severe a disease is, the more trust and confidence we need in God.

“One-day Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), noticed a Bedouin 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 Allāh’ The Prophet then said, ‘Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allāh’.

Dua and Supplication

It is mentioned in the Holy Quran that “And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us]”.

As it could be seen, one of the traditions of God in our world is to seize His people with hardships of different kinds so that they regret from their wrongful acts and become humble again towards their lord.

Supplication is a type of connection to the source and the cause of creation. When one supplicates, a power raises inside and makes him believe in a superior power and longs for the recovery of an ailment.

When there is an outer creator and an inner cause then they must meet each other. Other than all the other causes that starts or stops a disaster physically, this is a complementary spiritual cause that must be met too. Supplicate and repent in order to meet the conclusion. That is nothing but the effect which is a fine and final solution for the affliction.

However, Individual afflictions needs individual supplication while social ones need social.

Repentance and Attention to God

A Real Repentance and Attention to God. (in tongue, in heart, in act)

Helping the Needy

Financial aids, physical aids for the real needy helps a lot. However, the ranks of the needy are different; find the one(s) who is/are the neediest, the most honorable, the most knowledgeable, the most religious and the most believer.

Be Kind and Merciful

Be kind to each other at the time of trials or tribulations absorbs the kindness and mercy of God. It is said in a prophetic story that once Moses was told by God that his nation will be punished by a chastisement soon. He ordered his people to stay at home meanwhile. They quarantined at homes helping each other with foods and needs through tunnels they had made from homes to homes. They waited so long but met no punishment, so they asked Moses about the reason. God revealed to him that due to their kindness and mercy towards each other they met my kindness and mercy too by avoiding their punishment.

Physical Hygiene

Proper Intake

Eat Proper Food, Sanitized and Clean Water, Inhale Fresh air

Taking Necessary Precautions

Do not overreact; at the same time do not be oblivious about a situation and do nothing!

Taking the necessary means and then relying upon Allāh is something which is emphasized in Islam.

“One-day Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), noticed a Bedouin 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 Allāh’ The Prophet then said, ‘Tie your camel first, then put your trust in Allāh’.

Whenever there is a problem, a challenge, or any hardship which we can remove, overcome, solve, or minimize, we must do so.

Many of the health guidelines given by the NHS are in fact normal practices for Muslims, some of which are as follows:

Washing Hands

This is a part of ablution, a Muslim’s daily ritual of purity which proves that how God concerns man’s health and He mandates man to wash periodically daytime. 

General Cleanliness

The Prophet (PBUH) said:

الطَّهُورُ شَطْرُ الْإِيمَانِ

“Cleanliness is part of faith”

Keeping our surroundings tidy, cleaning up after ourselves, and wiping surfaces down are all aspects of cleanliness which must be adhered to in these situations.

Covering the Mouth When Sneezing

The Prophet would cover his mouth when he sneezed. This basic etiquette can take big part in the stopping of the spread of viruses

“Whenever the Messenger of Allāh (PBUH) sneezed, he would cover his mouth with his hand or a piece of cloth.”

Istinshaq [21]

There are several kinds of Sunnah deeds in ablution. Among others are rinsing mouth and Istinshaq or the steps which are good for the protection and treatment.

Snuffing up water into the nose and then expelling it has many medical benefits, the most important of which is that it removes accumulated secretions from the nasal cavity, as well as dust that adheres to the mucus lining of the nose, such as house dust, pollen, and the airborne spores of some funguses and molds.

The lungs need air free from pollution and it should contain 80% moisture and should be more than 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 C).

To attain this type of air, Allah has blessed us with a nose.

To make the air moist, the nose creates a quarter of a gallon of moisture and the hair in the nostrils stop dirt going inside the lungs.

There is a microscopic brush in the nose. This brush contains small particles which kill the bacteria that travel through air and enter the nose. These particles also defend lysozyme (are a family of enzymes which damage bacterial cell walls by catalyzing hydrolysis….), which also assist and save the eyes from infection.

Due to rinsing of the nose regularly with water in wudhu the nose is cleaned from dirt so the risk of illnesses is minimized. It is very beneficial for a person to do “Ghusl of the nose”(to sniff water up the nose) if he/she is suffering from catarrh.

Social Hygiene

Quarantine and Social Distancing

The Prophet gave instructions on what to do if there is an outbreak. Abd al-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf that he said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allāh (PBUH) say: “If you hear that it (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 how to protect ourselves by maintaining our adhkar from the Sunnah. One such dua that he taught us was:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

“In the name of Allāh with Whose name nothing can harm on earth or in heaven, and He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing”

Epidemiologists are using the term “social distancing” to refer to a conscious effort to reduce close contact between people and hopefully stymie community transmission of the virus.

Umar ibn al-Khattab was traveling with a group of companions during his reign. They approached a town in which it was said had a contagious/infectious disease. Umar asked his group whether they should proceed or return (to Madinah). The majority of the companions said they should go back but some said they should proceed. Then one companion said he knew a hadith where the Prophet (PBUH) said, “If you hear that this disease exists in a country, do not travel to that country.” So Umar decided that they should go back. Another companion asked him whether he was running away from qadar. Umar replied that they were moving away from one qadar to another qadar.

National & International Exercise

Coronavirus, a pandemic which has spread through more than a half of the world. Being scientifically and practically aware of any such crisis is a dire need for all. For some health issues there needs to be an individual exercise, for some other a social and for some rare ones like this a more widespread healthcare is to be done nationally and internationally by all people so to show they concern the health for all. Here we face an international exercise in which all energies are to be mobilized to attack such a rebel.

A Disease Named National Selfishness

Being so patriotic and nationalist leads to undermining the rights of other nations. The impacts and harms of this undermining goes back finally to the intruder at last. So if you Know the right and you Know that your politicians are doing wrong against the poor nations you must know that they are doing wrong against the people of their own nation. So knowing the source of this disease means nothing but elimination of its producer because That is the source of this pandemic

References

• Holy Quran
• Bihar al-Anwar
• Ayatullah Mohammed Reyshahri (2014). Mizanul Hikmah.
• Allama Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai (2009). Bidayah al-Hikmah (Arabic-English) [The Elements of Islamic Metaphysics]
•  Sheldrake, Philip (2007), A Brief History of Spirituality, Wiley-Blackwell
• Griffin, David Ray (1988), Spirituality and Society, SUNY
• Schuurmans-Stekhoven, J. (2014), “Measuring Spirituality as Personal Belief in Supernatural Forces: Is the Character Strength Inventory-Spirituality subscale a brief, reliable and valid measure?”, Implicit Religion, 17 (2): 211–222, doi:10.1558/imre.v17i2.211
• Sharf, Robert H. (2000), “The Rhetoric of Experience and the Study of Religion” (PDF), Journal of Consciousness Studies, 7 (11–12): 267–87, archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-05-13, retrieved 2013-01-13
• Waaijman, Kees (2002), Spirituality: Forms, Foundations, Methods, Peeters Publishers
• Browne, Michael E. (July 1999). Schaum’s outline of theory and problems of physics for engineering and science
• Sulaemang L.a, Zulkifli M.b, St. Kuraedahc, Siti Zubaidah, Ablution and Different Kinds of Diseases’ Prevention in Hadiths Perspective, International Journal of Sciences Basic and Applied Research (IJSBAR)

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[1]. Expertise in Islamic Philosophy at Islamic Seminary of Mashhad, Iran

    Email: huseinee@gmail.com

[2] . Gorsuch 1999.

[3] . Saucier 2006, p. 1259.

[4] . Sheldrake 2007, pp. 1–2.

[5] . Wong 2008.

[6] . Schuurmans-Stekhoven 2014.

[7] . Houtman 2007.

[8] . Snyder 2007, p. 261.

[9] . Sharf 2000.

[10] . Waaijman 2002, p. 315.

[11] . Fitrah: which is one difference between men and animals

[12]. https://www.globalresearch.ca/who-made-coronavirus-u-s-israel-china/5705628

[13]. By Philip Giraldi (a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer)

[14]. Quran; 49:5

[15]. SNSs

 

[17]. Trials and Tribulations

[18]. Tadhāhum

[19] . Intellect

[20] . Tadhāhūm

[21]. putting water into the nose and then removing it again