The victims of Coronavirus pandemic are multiplying exponentially. Mosques, schools, restaurants and many other public places are being closed. The prospects are really terrifying. This pandemic may not be over by summer. We need to beseech Allah’s forgiveness, protection and mercy. Nobody knows the hidden armies of Allah SWT and His ways are totally mysterious.
As Muslims we do believe that nothing happens without Allah’s permission. The Qur’an states, “Say, “Nothing will happen to us except what God has ordained for us; He is our Protector.” In God let the faithful put their trust.” (9:51) Epidemics, as trials and tribulations, have been and will remain part of human life. “We will certainly test you with some fear and hunger, and some loss of possessions and lives and crops. But give good news to the steadfast. Those who, when a calamity afflicts them, say, “To God we belong, and to Him we will return.” (2:156-157) viral catastrophes like COVID 19 remind us of our creatureliness and sheer dependence upon Allah SWT, the True Master and Controller of the cosmos. They are stark reminders of Allah’s omnipotence, providence and total control over our destinies.
The Prophet (SAW) taught us certain supplications for challenging times such as these and we must resort to them during this pandemic. Supplication or dua is the essence of worship and Allah SWT commands us to beseech His mercy via duas. He promises relief/response and encourages us to seek refuge in His Omnipotence. Umar (RA) states that it is among the signs of acceptance that Allah SWT grants a servant the ability to make a dua. So let us follow the Prophetic guidance and seek Allah’s refuge and protection from the Coronavirus by reciting the following duas.
“’Uthman bin ‘Affan (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “He who recites three times every morning and evening: ‘Bismillahil-ladhi la yadurru ma’as-mihi shai’un fil-ardi wa la fis-sama’i, wa Huwas-Sami’ul-‘Alim (In the Name of Allah with Whose Name there is protection against every kind of harm in the earth or in the heaven, and He is the All-Hearing and All- Knowing),’ nothing will harm him.” (Ibn Majah and al-Tirmidhi)
” مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ يَقُولُ فِي صَبَاحِ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ، وَمَسَاءِ كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ: بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ، ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ، فَيَضُرَّهُ شَيْءٌ “
«مَنْ قَالَ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لَا يَضُرُّ مَعَ اسْمِهِ شَيْءٌ، فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ، وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ، ثَلَاثَ مَرَّاتٍ، لَمْ تُصِبْهُ فَجْأَةُ بَلَاءٍ، حَتَّى يُصْبِحَ، وَمَنْ قَالَهَا حِينَ يُصْبِحُ ثَلَاثُ مَرَّاتٍ، لَمْ تُصِبْهُ فَجْأَةُ بَلَاءٍ حَتَّى يُمْسِيَ»
“Narrated Uthman ibn Affan:
Aban ibn Uthman said: I heard Uthman ibn Affan (his father) say: I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: If anyone says three times: “In the name of Allah, when Whose name is mentioned nothing on Earth or in Heaven can cause harm, and He is the Hearer, the Knower” he will not suffer sudden affliction till the morning, and if anyone says this in the morning, he will not suffer sudden affliction till the evening.” (Abu Dawud)
” مَنْ نَزَلَ مَنْزِلًا ثُمَّ قَالَ: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ شَيْءٌ، حَتَّى يَرْتَحِلَ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ ذَلِكَ “
Khaulah bint Hakim (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, “Whosoever alights somewhere and says: ‘A’udhu bikalimat-illahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek refuge with the Perfect Words of Allah from the evil of what He has created),’ nothing will harm him until he leaves that place.” (Muslim)
جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا لَقِيتُ مِنْ عَقْرَبٍ لَدَغَتْنِي الْبَارِحَةَ، قَالَ: ” أَمَا لَوْ قُلْتَ، حِينَ أَمْسَيْتَ: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ، لَمْ تَضُرَّكَ”
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, “What a trouble I suffered from a scorpion which stung me last night!” He (ﷺ) said, “Had you said in the evening: ‘A’udhu bikalimatillahit-tammati min sharri ma khalaqa (I seek the protection of Allah’s Perfect Words from the evil of whatever He has created),’ it would not have harmed you.”
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: مَنْ قَالَ حِينَ يُمْسِي ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللهِ التَّامَّاتِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ، لَمْ يَضُرَّهُ حُمَةٌ تِلْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ.
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever says three times when he reaches the evening: ‘I seek refuge in Allah’s Perfect Words from the evil of what he created, (A`ūdhu bikalimātillāhit-tāmmāti min sharri mā khalaq)’ no poisonous sting shall harm him that night.”
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا، قَالَ: كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُعَوِّذُ الحَسَنَ وَالحُسَيْنَ، وَيَقُولُ: ” إِنَّ أَبَاكُمَا كَانَ يُعَوِّذُ بِهَا إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ: أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ، مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ “
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to seek Refuge with Allah for Al-Hasan and Al-Husain and say: “Your forefather (i.e. Abraham) used to seek Refuge with Allah for Ishmael and Isaac by reciting the following: ‘O Allah! I seek Refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye.” (al-Bukhari)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ إِذَا خَرَجَ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ قَالَ: «بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ، التُّكْلَانُ عَلَى اللَّهِ»
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that whenever he left his house, the Prophet (ﷺ) would say:
“Bismillah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah, at-tuklanu ‘ala Allah (In the Name of Allah, there is no power and strength except with Allah, and trust is placed in Allah).” (Ibn Majah)
سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ: لَمْ يَكُنْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدَعُ هَؤُلَاءِ الدَّعَوَاتِ حِينَ يُمْسِي، وَحِينَ يُصْبِحُ: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ، اللَّهُمَّ أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ وَالْعَافِيَةَ فِي دِينِي وَدُنْيَايَ وَأَهْلِي وَمَالِي، اللَّهُمَّ اسْتُرْ عَوْرَاتِي، وَآمِنْ رَوْعَاتِي، وَاحْفَظْنِي مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيَّ، وَمِنْ خَلْفِي، وَعَنْ يَمِينِي، وَعَنْ شِمَالِي، وَمِنْ فَوْقِي، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أُغْتَالَ مِنْ تَحْتِي»
“Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) never failed to utter these supplications in the evening and in the morning: O Allah, I ask Thee for security in this world and in the Hereafter: O Allah! I ask Thee for forgiveness and security in my religion and my worldly affairs, in my family and my property; O Allah! conceal my fault or faults (according to Uthman’s version), and keep me safe from the things which I fear; O Allah! guard me in front of me and behind me, on my right hand and on my left, and from above me: and I seek in Thy greatness from receiving unexpected harm from below me.” (Ibn Majah and Abu Dawud)
عن أنس رضي الله عنه إن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يقول : “اللهم إني أعوذ بك من البرص والجنون والجذام وسيء الأسقام”
Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet (ﷺ) used to supplicate: “Allahumma inni a’udhu bika minal-barasi, wal- jununi, wal-judhami, wa sayyi’il-asqami’ (O Allah! I seek refuge in You from leucoderma, insanity, leprosy and evil diseases).” (Abu Dawud)
أللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَتَحَوُّلِ عَافِيَتِكَ، وَفُجَاءَةِ نِقْمَتِكَ، وَجَمِيعِ سَخَطِك
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to supplicate thus: “Allahumma inni a’udhu bika min zawali ni’matika, wa tahawwuli ‘afiyatika, wa fuja’ati niqmatika, wa jami’i sakhatika (O Allah! I seek refuge in You against the declining of Your Favours, passing of safety, the suddenness of Your punishment and all that which displeases You).” (Muslim)
May Allah SWT protect us all. Ameen.
Written by Dr. Zulfiqar Ali Shah