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Is ṭawāf from a Distance Acceptable Due to Covid-19?

Answered as per Hanafi Fiqh by Mathabah.org

Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt

Question:

Due to Covid-19, pilgrims making ṭawāf from a distance are not allowed to touch the ka’abah or come near it, for fear of the virus spread. Is it not that Allāh says we should not fear anyone except Him? Should we not trust Him? Is it not true that death can also come even when we are in the protection of our homes?  Travelling by air, ship, car, etc. is also risky but people still travel using these modes of transportation. Should we not take the risk and conduct ṭawāf and pray together while touching the ka’abah.

Answer:

 بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allāh, Most Merciful, Most Kind

Thank you/ Jazāk Allāh Khayr for contacting Mathabah with your question.

In response to your question, kindly note that there is no doubt that making ṭawāf or fulfilling any Islamic practice for that matter, with all its preferred and necessary requirements is rewarding and blessed. Whether it be making ṭawāf while touching the black stone/ the ka’abah or performing prayers with closeness in congregation, and with no distance in the rows. However, it must be noted that in matters where there is a threat of life, it is an Islamic obligation to take all necessary precautions to protect ourselves from illness, injury and death.

Also note that touching the ka’abah or the black stone during ṭawāf is not mandatory. The ṭawāf will be complete if the pilgrim conducts the ṭawāf from a distance in the sanctuary of the ḥaram (sacred mosque at Makkah). – (See: Al-Jawhar Al-Nayyirah Fī Sharḥ Mukhtaṣar Al-Qudurīy, Vol 1, page 371, Dar Al-Kutub Al-‘Ilmiyyah) [1]

“O Omar, you are a strong man, do not crowd the Stone thereby inconveniencing the weak. If you do find space, make the istilām [by touching and kissing] otherwise face it and say, ‘Allāh Akbar and Lā Ilā ha Illallāh‘.” – (Musnad Aḥmad 190) [2]

“Do not throw [yourselves] with your [own] hands into destruction [and harm].”- (Qurʾān: 2:195). [3]

“The Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) said, “[As a safeguard,] one should stay away from the diseased, as one runs away from a lion.” – (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī 5707) [4]

Imam Ibn ʿAbd Al-Barr writes, – “Anything that would inconvenience one’s fellow worshipers in the masjid such as anyone afflicted with diarrhea, insanity, misbehaviour, odour syndrome, virus epidemic or anything else that would inconvenience the public, it is permitted for the public to keep such an individual away, as long as the ailment is present. Once the condition ceases, they may return to the masjid.” – (Al-Tamhīd) [5]

During the outbreak of the Amwās plague in Palestine, ʿAmr Ibn Al-Ās (may Allāh be pleased with him) announced, “O people, when these plagues occur, they ignite like fire, therefore go to high grounds, away from the affected areas.” – (Al-Bidāyah Wa-Al-Nihāyah, Vol 4) [6]

Osāmah bin Sharīk (may Allāh be pleased with him) reports, “Some Bedouins asked, “O Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings upon him) shall we treat our ill [and sickly]?” He replied, “Yes, O slaves of God! Use remedies [and medication], for indeed God has made a cure for every illness except one impediment.” They asked, “O Messenger of Allāh! What do you refer to?” He replied, “Old age.” – (Abū Dāwūd 3855) [7]

Only Allāh knows best


[1]  (قَوْلُهُ وَاسْتَلَمَهُ) صُورَةُ الِاسْتِلَامِ أَنْ يَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى الْحَجَرِ وَيَضَعَ فَمَه بَيْنَ كَفَّيْهِ وَيُقَبِّلَهُ إنْ اسْتَطَاعَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ جَعَلَ كَفَّيْهِ نَحْوَهُ وَقَبَّلَ كَفَّيْهِ قَالَ فِي النِّهَايَةِ اسْتِلَامُ الْحَجَرِ لِلطَّوَافِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ التَّكْبِيرِ لِلصَّلَاةِ يَبْتَدِئُ فِيهِ الرَّجُلُ طَوَافَهُ «قَالَ – عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ – لَيُبْعَثَنَّ هَذَا الْحَجَرُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَلَهُ عَيْنَانِ يَنْظُرُ بِهِمَا وَلِسَانٌ يَنْطِقُ بِهِ يَشْهَدُ لِمَنْ اسْتَلَمَهُ وَاسْتَقْبَلَهُ بِالْحَقِّ» .

(قَوْلُهُ إنْ اسْتَطَاعَ مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ يُؤْذِيَ مُسْلِمًا) لِأَنَّ التَّحَرُّزَ عَنْ إيذَاءِ الْمُسْلِمِ وَاجِبٌ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ تَقْبِيلَهُ وَلَا مَسَّهُ بِيَدِهِ أَمَسَّ الْحَجَرَ شَيْئًا فِي يَدِهِ مِنْ عُرْجُونٍ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ ثُمَّ يُقَبِّلُ ذَلِكَ الشَّيْءَ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ شَيْئًا مِنْ ذَلِكَ اسْتَقْبَلَهُ وَكَبَّرَ وَهَلَّلَ وَهَذَا الِاسْتِقْبَالُ مُسْتَحَبٌّ وَلَيْسَ بِوَاجِبٍ يَدُلُّ عَلَيْهِ قَوْلُهُ إنْ اسْتَطَاعَ كَمَا فِي قَوْلِهِ وَمَسَّ طِيبًا إنْ كَانَ لَهُ (قَوْلُهُ ثُمَّ يَأْخُذُ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ مِمَّا يَلِي الْبَابَ) أَيْ عَنْ يَمِينِ الطَّائِفِ لَا عَنْ يَمِينِ الْحَجَرِ فَإِنْ أَخَذَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ أَجْزَأَهُ وَعَلَيْهِ دَمٌ وَهُوَ الطَّوَافُ الْمَنْكُوسُ.

[2] عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَهُ يَا عُمَرُ إِنَّكَ رَجُلٌ قَوِيٌّ لَا تُزَاحِمْ عَلَى الْحَجَرِ فَتُؤْذِيَ الضَّعِيفَ إِنْ وَجَدْتَ خَلْوَةً فَاسْتَلِمْهُ وَإِلَّا فَاسْتَقْبِلْهُ فَهَلِّلْ وَكَبِّرْ – مسند احمد ١٩٠

[3] ‎‏ ‎‏- البقرة ١٩٥ ‎‏ وَلَا تُلْقُوا بِأَيْدِيكُمْ إِلَى التَّهْلُكَةِ ‎‏

[4]  وَفِرَّ مِنَ الْمَجْذُومِ كَمَا تَفِرُّ مِنَ الأَسَدِ – البخاري ٥٧٠٧

[5] فَفِي الْقِيَاسِ أَنَّ كُلَّ مَا يَتَأَذَّى بِهِ جِيرَانُهُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ بِأَنْ يَكُونَ ذَرِبَ اللِّسَانِ سَفِيهًا عَلَيْهِمْ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مُسْتَطِيلًا أَوْ كَانَ ذَا رِيحَةٍ قَبِيحَةٍ لَا تَرِيمُهُ لِسُوءِ صناعته أو عاهة موذية كَالْجُذَامِ وَشَبَهِهِ وَكُلُّ مَا يَتَأَذَّى بِهِ النَّاسُ إِذَا وُجِدَ فِي أَحَدِ جِيرَانِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَأَرَادُوا إِخْرَاجَهُ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَإِبْعَادَهُ عَنْهُ كَانَ ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ مَا كَانَتِ الْعِلَّةُ مَوْجُودَةً فِيهِ حَتَّى تَزُولَ فَإِذَا زَالَتْ بِإِفَاقَةٍ أَوْ تَوْبَةٍ أَوْ أَيِّ وَجْهٍ زَالَتْ كَانَ لَهُ مُرَاجَعَةُ الْمَسْجِدِ – كتاب التمهيد لما في الموطأ من المعاني والأسانيد

[6] وعاش المسلمون في ظلّ هذا الوباء أيّاماً عصيبة، حتى كانت نهايته على يد العبقري عمرو بن العاص رضي الله عنه، فحينما مات معاذ رضي الله عنه واستخلف عمرو بن العاص قام في الناس خطيباً فقال: “أيها الناس، إن هذا الوجع إذا وقع فإنما يشتعل اشتعال النار، فتحصّنوا منه في الجبال” وكأنّه يعني أن حال هذا الوباء كحال النار، فإذا لم تجد النار ما تحرقها خمدت، فكانت نصيحته للناس أن يتفرّقوا في النواحي شيئاً من الزمن، وبهذه النظرة السديدة ارتفع الوباء – البداية والنهاية

[7] عَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ شَرِيكٍ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَصْحَابُهُ كَأَنَّمَا عَلَى رُءُوسِهِمُ الطَّيْرُ فَسَلَّمْتُ ثُمَّ قَعَدْتُ فَجَاءَ الأَعْرَابُ مِنْ هَا هُنَا وَهَا هُنَا فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنَتَدَاوَى فَقَالَ ‏ “‏ تَدَاوَوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَمْ يَضَعْ دَاءً إِلاَّ وَضَعَ لَهُ دَوَاءً غَيْرَ دَاءٍ وَاحِدٍ الْهَرَمُ ‏”‏ – أبو داؤد ٣٨٥٥

This answer was collected from Mathabah.org. It’s an Islamic educational institute based in Canada. The questions are generally answered by Sheikh Yusuf Badat and Sheikh Omar Subedar.

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