The Religious Affairs Administration of Turkey Issues Fatwa According to the Conjuncture

News:

The Supreme Council of Religious Affairs reported that the Jumuah prayer can be neglected within the excuses of diseases, heavy rainfall, extreme heat and cold, unfavourable weather conditions as well as the epidemic disease. Again it is stated that the Islamic religion has made very clear provisions for the protection of life and health and the elimination of things that will harm them, and in addition it is underscored that Muslims are obliged to fulfil these provisions and take appropriate measures. (Agencies)

Comment:

For almost a year, the world has been fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the life in ill part. This pandemic has had a negative impact in all areas of life as well as the mosques and prayers in community. This made most of the countries to close their mosques. After the pandemic brought under control, the mosques were opened to prayer again. This is the same in Turkey and still the prayers are performed with the social distancing precautions.

As in the whole world, a number of measures and restrictions were re-implemented in Turkey as the number of cases of Covid began to increase again. One of them is the fatwa of the presidency of Religious Affairs, which lead up to the prohibition of Friday prayers.

Islam is the system of life which has brought regulations in every field of human life. As it has regulations for every field in life, it also has for coping with pandemics. Because it is the order of Islam, those who are inflected during a pandemic need to obey the rules of quarantine. The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

«إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ بِالطَّاعُونِ بِأَرْضٍ فَلاَ تَدْخُلُوهَا، وَإِذَا وَقَعَ بِأَرْضٍ وَأَنْتُمْ بِهَا فَلاَ تَخْرُجُوا مِنْهَ»

“If you hear of an outbreak of plague in a land, do not enter it; but if the plague breaks out in a place while you are in it, do not leave that place.” (Bukhari)

Taking measures and complying with measures are divine responsibilities. But the neglecting of Jumuah prayer must be according to the measures of Islam. The determiner of the deeds is truly not the mind or assumptions but Shari’ Ahkaam which are extracted from Islam itself. Jumuah prayer is imperative for every Muslim as long as one has not any exception exerted from Shari’ Ahkaam.

Our Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

«مَنْ سَمِعَ النِّدَاءَ فَلَمْ يُجِبْهُ فَلَا صَلَاةَ لَهُ إلَّا مِنْ عُذْرٍ، قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَمَا الْعُذْرُ؟ قَالَ: خَوْفٌ أَوْ مَرَضٌ»

"Whoever hears the call and does not come, his prayer is not valid, except for those who have an excuse.” The Sahabah asked: Oh, the Messenger of Allah, what might be the excuse? “Fear and disaster” (Bayhaqi, Suneni Al-Kubra). As it is understood from this hadith, the Jumuah prayer is imperative to everyone except for those who have exception according to the ahkaam. It is a sin for those who do not attend the Jumuah prayer without an excuse. The above stated excuses are from Islam and any other excuses are not compared to them.

According to this topic Eş Şirazi, mentions the following in his book El Mühezzeb “…One of them is that he fears damage to his life or property, or an illness that complicates his intentions…”

If a Muslim is inflected with an outbreak, he is dispensed from the Jumuah prayer. To bring up any other logical evidences beside Islam’s regulations is surely insincere and remote from taqwa.

The executives and those who issued this fatwa in the Religious Affairs will be sinful if they prohibit people without exerting effort that will please Allah from going to mosques and pray Jumuah and other prayers in community by means of closing the mosques or issue fatwa accordingly.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Abdullah İmamoğlu