By : Farah Farooq
“Though death be poor, it ends a mortal woe!”
– Shakespeare
Viruses are so small that they can’t be seen by naked eye. It enters into our body and destroys our cells. It is that infectious agent which sees no religion, colour, sex or creed. Viruses can affect all types of life forms, from humans, animals and even plants. So it’s totally wrong to say that virus affects riches and not poor, Muslims and not Hindus, adults and not kids. The certain occurrence of it is death if not taken necessary measures.
In Churches priests are unable to fulfill their usual role, and must socially isolate like most others. “I know that people are feeling great pain at not being able to fulfill that role here,” a Priest says. For instance, a priest is currently prevented from giving the last rites to someone dying. So, last month the Pope performed a blessing in a live stream that effectively provides forgiveness and remission for the sins of those watching.
“It is not easy for people who are used to congregating five times a day to stay at home … [especially] when their mosque is right there. People can get very sad knowing that their mosque is empty,”Yet people say there is precedence in Islam for a pandemic like this. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) strongly urged his followers to practice good hygiene, and said cleanliness was an important aspect of their faith.
The Prophet said: “If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague outbreaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place.”
Same is the case with the temples, monasteries, Gurduwaras, Shrines etc. All these places are being closed due to pandemic caused by virus.
“It is evident that there is differences in the death of an ‘ignorant’ and that of a Knowledgeable.” – ATHARVA VEDA
The most scariest thing is communalising the viruses as well but the ones who are involved in such acts must understand the virus has no religion, attacks no religion, so we should refrain ourselves from sowing seeds of communal hatred, we are equally vulnerable to it. Hate speeches should be stopped because it can put the targeted community at risk.
All are equal in birth and die equally. Instead of targeting and communalising the viruses, we should focus on health care and aiding and providing facilities.
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The emperor and the beggar are both born naked, they sleep equally silently they bow out without even leaving their new address. Then how can their reality be different. All are basically the same. – ATHARVA VEDA
Virus sees no rich, no poor, no young and no old, no black and no white before infecting. So no virus is a caste based virus nor does it come from any religion. Virus affects all men from all religions, if we start victimising victims on religion basis, everyone around the world will get affected and besides that inclusion of religion in it is heinous and despicable and if we prolong it will end in worse way. Everyone is dying be it Hindu, Sikh, Muslim, Jew then what is the fun of making a fun to the viruses that it is religion biased.
And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And he pardons much.
– Qura’an ASH-SHURA 42:30
And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient ones.
– Qura’an Al –Baqarah 2:155
Thus, instead of stigmatising any particular community, alleging they have wilfully spread the virus or disease is total filth of mind and people should remember that virus have no religion and no one would deliberately bring this disease on themselves and despite of the fact we should stand together to fight against it.
Author is Pursuing BA LLB from University of Kashmir. She can be reached at [email protected]
