Masks, Vaccines And Belief In Allah

Allah has created the causes and the results. We are commanded to take all efforts while relying on God. Allah has simultaneously created water and thirst; where He has created disease, He has also created its cure.

We believe that the dominion belongs to Him. We are ordered to use the means to get the results. To survive we must eat, drink and breathe. Eating, drinking and breathing are means for survival. To quench our thirst, we must drink water. To get relief from pain we must use medicines. To beget children we must get married. Neglecting the means and expecting the results is foolishness and not belief or Tawakkul. Using the means is not against the concept of reliance upon Allah.

Depending totally on means or considering that only means bring the results without the permission of Allah is against the belief of Allah. We believe that the means do not give the results except with the permission of God Almighty. Therefore, we must use the means and trust in Allah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) did his best to convey the message of Allah to the people of Makkah and then left the matter of guidance upon Allah. He didn’t neglect Dawah believing that if Allah wants he would have guided them.

When the people of Makkah planned to attack Madinah, he didn’t say everything happens by the will of Allah and resign himself to the situation. Rather, he asked Muslims to prepare for defence. Then he travelled 200 km to a place called Badr, and he consulted the people about the complete plan of war, then he supplicated the whole night asking help from Allah. And the next day they confronted the enemy forces. Many Muslims got martyred and then they won the war. He did whatever was possible by him and then left the results on Allah. He never neglected any means, believing that Allah is sufficient. Yes, Allah is sufficient for those who try their best and ask Allah the good results.

The whole life of our beloved Prophet teaches us to use the possible means and then depend upon Allah.

The best example to understand using the means and depending on Allah is the story of a man narrated by Anas ibn Maalik (May Allah be pleased with him); that he said: “O Messenger of Allah, should I tie up my camel and rely on Allah, or should I leave it loose and rely on Him?” He replied: “Tie it up and rely on Allah.” Narrated by at-Tirmidhi (2517)

“Tie it up” is to take the possible means and precautions and then depend on Allah.

I don’t know of any authentic scholars who are against using masks, maintaining social distance, or using vaccines as a means of protection. I hear such baseless rants only from unauthentic people or laymen who are boasting of their faith and claim that everything is in the hands of Allah and trying to be different from the mainstream. They don’t have any religious or rational basis for their claim.

Hence, it is mandatory for all Muslims to take all the precautions in their houses, mosques, centres and all gatherings. It is part of our sound belief. May Allah bless all humanity with safety and peace.