Closing down Masaajid due to government regulations
Question:-
The South African government had, by law, compelled us to close down the Masajid due to Covid restrictions. We are now going for the fourth wave in our country. If we are once again compelled to close down the Masajid, then how should we as Muslims deal with the situation?
Answer:-
Our stance is that closure of the Masaajid is not the solution to the problem. The Masjid, being the House of Allah Ta’ala is in fact the place where the Mercies of Allah descend. This is why we are advised to read the following Dua when entering the Masjid:-
اللهم افتح لى أبواب رحمتك
“O Allah! Open for me the Doors of Thy Mercy.”
We need to thus embrace His Mercy instead of depriving ourselves of the Mercy of our Kind and Compassionate Creator.
At the same time, we need to retrospect and conduct a serious analysis to truly determine what the underlying cause is, of the problems that are engulfing us day by day. If we are truly honest with ourselves, we will acknowledge that it is our rotten actions and rebellion against Divine Law that are leading us to the deprivation of the Favours of Allah Ta’ala. We need to sincerely repent for our sins, for it is our sinning and transgression of the Laws of Allah Ta’ala that adverse conditions (such as this global pandemic and governments imposing Masaajid closures) are coming upon us. It comes in one Hadeeth:-
كما تكونون يولى عليكم
Translation: “The way that you will conduct yourselves, accordingly, rulers will govern over you.”(Al-Dailami; Al-Baihaqi)
Based on the above Hadeeth, it has been aptly said:-
أعمالكم عمالكم
“Your actions are your rulers (meaning that it is our actions and behaviour that result in the types of rulers that
are imposed upon us).”
If we are righteous, we will be governed by righteous and compassionate rulers and if we are crooked, we will be governed by crooked and tyrannical rulers.
This is why we have been taught to make the following Dua:-
اللهم لا تسلط علينا بذنوبنا من لا يرحمنا
“Oh Allah! Do not impose upon us (due to our sins) such rulers who will not show mercy upon us.”
It is imperative that we take stock of ourselves and realize, that it is due to our sins, that we invite these types of calamities. Says Allah Ta’ala in the Qur’aan:
وما اصابكم من مصيبة فبما كسبت أيديكم
Translation: “And whatever befalls you of misfortune (is because) of what your own hands have earned.”
Allamah Abu-Bakr Turtushi (Rahmatullahi Alaih) a Maliki scholar, writes in his famous book Siraajul-Muluk:-
I often heard people making statements such as; “Your actions result in the types of rulers that are imposed upon you;” and eventually found support for this in the following Aayah of the Qur’aan:
وكذلك نولى بعض الظالمين بعضا بما كانوا يكسبون
Translation: “And thus We set some wrongdoers on some others-because of (the wrong) they used to commit.” (Al-An’aam, 6:129)
Allamah Abu-Bakr Turtushi (Rahmatullahi Alaih) further writes: Some pious people used to say: “Whatever strange and adverse conditions you observe in your era, is a result of the corruption brought about by your own actions.”
The ruler, Abdul Malik bin Marwaan, once said to his people: “O people! You have not treated us fairly! You expect us to behave in the way of Hadhrat Abu-Bakr and Hadhrat Umar (Radhiallahu Anhuma), yet you yourselves do not adopt the lifestyle and behaviour of these two noble companions, neither in your own personal lives, nor when dealing with us!” (Siraajul-Muluk Vol. 1, Pg. 116)
As soon as we acknowledge our shortcomings and repent sincerely for our sins, Allah Ta’ala will Insha-Allah soften the hearts of our rulers and grant concessions in regards to having freedom to practice our Deen unhampered.
Together with repentance and Dua, we feel that the various Masjid Committees should (as far as possible) engage in negotiations with the government and make a polite request and plea to the relevant authorities to allow the Masajid to carry on its functions. We should try and make them understand that it is only through fervent prayer that the Almighty will look towards His creation with Mercy and Compassion and remove this pandemic from the world.