CAIRO — The spread of the swine flu virus does not justify postponing the spiritual journey of hajj, prominent scholar Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the head of the International Union for Muslim Scholars, said Sunday, September 13.
“There is no need to postpone hajj or `Umrah this year,” Qaradawi told the Qatari daily Al-Watan.
He said people who are afraid of contracting the virus can avoid traveling for hajj this year.
“But postponing the ritual is not permissible under Shari`ah,” he said, urging Muslims going to hajj to take all precautionary measures such as anti-viral vaccines before going to the spiritual journey.
The swine flu (H1N1), a mixture of various swine, bird and human viruses, first emerged in Mexico in April.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says the virus is moving around the globe at "unprecedented speed."
More than 2,837 people have been killed around the globe since the swine flu first surfaced in Mexico in April.
Health officials from the 22 Arab countries have banned the elderly and young children from going on hajj and `Umrah over swine flu fears.
“However, hajj and `Umrah can be postponed for the elders, those who are chronically ill and pilgrims who performed the ritual before,” said Qaradawi.
More than two million Muslims perform hajj, an obligation for all able-bodied, financially capable Muslims at least once in a lifetime, every year.
No pandemic
Qaradawi said the swine flu has not yet turned into an pandemic disease.
“Therefore, Muslims who die of the virus can’t be considered a martyr,” the prominent scholar said.
“But if the virus turned into pandemic, those who die of would be considered martyrs.”
Earlier, Saudi scholar Sheikh Abdel-Mohsen Al-Obeikan said that Muslims who die of the swine flu would be considered martyrs.
Qaradawi allowed the pilgrims to wear masks while performing the ritual.
“Islam pays too much attention to protection the self,” he said.
“If these masks help protect against the virus, therefore pilgrims should wear it.”
The eminent scholar also urged Muslim pilgrims to avoid congestions during the ritual.
“We advise pilgrims to choose the timing when there is no congestion such as early morning,” he said.
“We also urge Muslims who are suspected of contracting the virus to avoid contacting with people and go for medical tests to avoid harming others.”
The prominent scholar also exhorted the pilgrims to pay much attention to the personal cleaning.
“Pilgrims must abide by the doctors’ recommendations on personal cleaning,” he said.
“Personal cleaning is the core of the Islamic teachings.”
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