By: Moulana Aneesur Rahman Nadvi
Mass deaths of people through spread of a disease that afflicts cattle
We will now take a look at the devastation caused by this great tribulation of the corona virus and the serious consequences that will arise from it, which has been highlighted in great detail in the hadiths. There are details in the hadiths about how this tribulation of corona virus will spread initially, and how it will progress subsequently and the horrifying number of deaths that will take place on the earth? And how the tyrants will try to exploit this whole situation? Therefore, it is narrated in some of the hadiths that the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned six signs that indicate the approach of the Hour, one of these is the spread of a certain disease among the people that afflicts cattle. This narration is as follows:
عن عوف بن مالک عن النبى صلى اللہ صلي اللہ عليه وسلم قال … بين يدي الساعة … موتان يأخذ فيکم کقعاص الغنم.
Auf bin Malik (Raz) narrates from Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) that he said: “a disease that afflicts the cattle will spread among you (and it will kill you in great numbers) just as it kills the cattle.”(10)
There are more or less 50 hadiths regarding this in the books of Hadith, in which this disease is mentioned as a sign of the Hour. The books of hadith in which these narrations have been mentioned include Sahih Bukhari, Musnad Ahmad, Mustadrak Hakim, Musnnaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, Mujam Kabir Tabarani, Musnad Al-Shameen Tabarani, and Naeem Ibn Hammad’s Al-Fitna.
We will first present the literal meanings of these words in the hadiths, which will help us to understand the nature of this epidemic and the virus. The two words used in the above hadith are very important. One of them is ‘Mu’tan’ and the other is ‘Quas’.
Mu’tan has two meanings. It’s first meaning is:
المُوتان بوزن البُطلان الموت الکثير الوقوع.
“Death in great numbers.”(11)
Another meaning of Mu’tan is:
المُوتَان: موت يقع فى الماشية.
“A disease that occurs in sheep and cattle.” (12)
Similarly, the word ‘Quas’ has several meanings. One of its meanings is:
القُعاص: داء يأخذ الغنم لا يلبثها أن تموت.
“A disease which causes sudden death of the cattle and sheep.” (13)
The other meaning is:
القُعاص: داءٌ يأخذ فى الصدر کأنه يکسر العنق.
“Quas is a disease in the (respiratory system) which causes the throat to choke.(14)
Corona virus is a chest (Respiratory) disease
The most important point here is that both the meanings of the words ‘mu’tan’ and ‘quas’ are literally related to Coronavirus. The Coronavirus is a distinct virus found in cattle, especially pigs and bats and it is transmitted to humans from them
The second point in this regard is that when a human being is infected with the Coronavirus, it directly attacks his respiratory system. It first infects the throat and then spreads to the lungs, resulting in SARS, MERS and COVID-19 which can become fatal. The respiratory tract and lungs are part of the chest cavity.
The literal meaning of ‘quas’ found in Arabic dictionaries state that, one who is affected with quas will feel his chest and throat are getting crushed This description perfectly matches with the symptoms of Coronavirus. When a person is infected with Corona, it first attacks his throat and then airways. Scientists have identified the first symptom of this disease as sore throat, which is caused by swollen adenoids and tonsils. It causes severe cough and difficulty in breathing. Sore throat, fever and breathing difficulty are considered to be the most important symptoms of this virus.
However, according to the hadith the statement concerning the virus causing the disease is related to chest and it will be throat crushing, which literally fits the description of the symptoms of corona virus. This is another great scientific miracle of the Prophetic Hadith.
Difference between Coronavirus and Plague
In this regard, it is important to understand the difference between the plague and the Coronavirus, which comes into light from the study of hadiths and which meets the criteria of modern science. This pandemic has not been called as ‘plague’ (ta’wun) in the hadiths, but it has been termed as ‘quas’ (disease of cattle). Plague is a contagious disease that is spread through bacteria. This bacterium, called Yersinia pestis, is found in mice and is spread by fleas. In contrast, ‘quas’ is a virus that is found in cattle and spreads to humans. In the hadith, both the words ‘plague’ and ‘quas’ are used in different places. But the word ‘quas’ is used in hadith as the sign of the hour being discussed here. Therefore, this is another great astounding statement of the hadith.
Bacteria and viruses are two of the four types of germs that cause a variety of diseases in humans. Despite the differences between the plague and Coronavirus (COVID-19), they have one thing in common: they are both infectious in nature. This difference between the plague and the corona virus is known to us from both the hadiths as well as the modern science. The Prophet (pbuh) ordered quarantine as a measure to prevent both of these diseases.
Extreme deaths from corona virus
One of the meanings of the first word used in this hadith regarding this is ‘mutan’ one of its meaning is “death occurring in cattle” which we have already discussed. The other meanings are ‘deaths in great number’. Therefore, both of these meanings of ‘mutan’ apply to coronavirus and the large-scale deaths caused by it. A look at the death toll from Coronavirus will suffice to prove its veracity, which is as follows:
Coronavirus is not a common disease as some people presume it to be. A comparative study of hadiths and modern science shows that it is a very dreadful pandemic that will kill people on a large scale globally. The virus has so far infected 6.1 million people and killed 370,000 people. The mortality rate among those infected from the virus stands at 6.5%. According to a study by Harvard University 70 percent of world’s population is likely to be infected with Coronavirus. That is, out of the current population of about eight billion, five and a half billion people could be affected. The death toll from the coronavirus is estimated at 350- 400 million or more, compared to the current death toll.
Different words used in the hadiths for Coronavirus
From this discussion about the Coronavirus in the light of the hadiths, you may have learnt the different words and illustrations that have been used in the hadiths for the description of this virus, which are as follows: “Dark and blind tribulation” And “disease of the cattle”. According to our research, these two interpretations point to the same tribulation. In fact, both of these terms have been used to describe different manifestations of the great and dreaded Coronavirus. By describing it as “blind and dark tribulation”, its been meant that this tribulation will appear in the form of a virus which will be blind in itself and we too will not be able to see it. The second term, “like disease of the cattle”, is meant to indicate that when a person gets infected with this virus, he or she gets afflicted with this sort of disease (like of the cattle). The difference between these two is the same as the difference between Coronavirus and Covid-19. The Coronavirus is a virus that has a specific form, and Covid-19 is a disease caused by infection with the Coronavirus. Some more important and dangerous aspects of Coronavirus mentioned in the hadiths will be discussed in the next and the final part of the video.
People of Falsehood will dominate over People of Truth
It is very important to study the following hadith of Hazrat Ali (RA) regarding the dangerous situation that this pandemic of corona virus is going to take in the future, in which it has been prophesied about the emergence of a dangerous phenomenon, i.e., there will be a sharp increase in tyranny and oppression around the world. When someone asked Hazrat Ali (RA) about this fitna, he replied:
أَلَا إِنَّ أَخْوَفَ الْفِتْنَةِ عِنْدِى عَلَيْکُمْ فِتْنَةٌ عَمْيَاءُ مُظْلِمَةٌ خَصَّتْ فِتْنَتُهَا، وَعَمَّتْ بَلِيَّتُهَا ، أَصَابَ الْبَلَاءُ مَنْ أَبْصَرَ فِيهَا ، وَأَخْطَأَ الْبَلَاءُ مَنْ عَمِيَ عَنْهَا ، يَظْهَرُ أَهْلُ بَاطِلِهَا عَلَى أَهْلِ حَقِّهَا حَتَّى تُمْلَأَ الْأَرْضُ عُدْوَانًا وَظُلْمًا ، وَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَنْ يَکْسِرُ عَمَدَهَا وَيَضَعُ جَبَرُوتَهَا وَيَنْزِعُ أَوْتَادَهَا اللَّہُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ۔
“Listen carefully! Undoubtedly, in my opinion, the most frightening tribulation will be the one which is blind and dark. It will jolt the elite, but its trial will be for all. The tribulation will catch the one who sees it and it will miss the one who closes his eyes from it. During this fitna, those who are on Falsehood will dominate over those who are on the Truth. Tyranny and oppression will fill the earth. The foremost in breaking its scabbard, and in extinguishing its power, and in uprooting this tribulation, will be Allah Himself, the Lord of the Universe.”(15)
The points raised in this Hadith about this great tribulation are:
- According to Hazrath Ali, this will be the most horrifying fitna (tribulation) afflicting the Muslims.
- Only certain people will be affected by this tribulation, but its test will be for all, i.e., not everyone will be infected with the virus, but only a certain class, but all people will be put to the test because of its fear. In the next part of the hadith, it is said that this tribulation will befall the one who interacts with it and comes in contact with it, and the one who tries to avoid it will not be affected.
- The most dangerous aspect of this tribulation will be that under cover of this tribulation, the people of Falsehood will overpower people of Truth. Some forms of this oppression have already started to take place nationally and internationally, and under the guise of this tribulation, tyranny and oppression have unleashed against a specific section in our country. It is difficult to say for sure what this oppression will look like in future nationally and internationally. Nevertheless, broad hints have already been given by the people of Falsehood that the world now needs a new world order. It is to be noted that the Jewish think tank Henry Kissinger has issued a statement that after Coronavirus we shall see a completely different world. Therefore, the world is moving towards a new world order, for which everyone should be ready.
At a time when millions of people are dying and will be dead by then; poverty and hunger will cripple many more millions; all the economies, both powerful and weak, will be destroyed; and the world will continue to beseech for a vaccine to stop the menace of Coronavirus. In an environment like this, it is not difficult to imagine how nations will be exploited to bring about these destructions.
The Prophet (pbuh) sought refuge from this tribulation
We have seen in the hadiths quoted earlier that this tribulation has been described as blind and dark, and it will raise its head in the “days of Haraj” or the “days of killing”. It has been regarded as the worst tribulation in human history. Just as the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) and other prophets sought refuge from the temptations of the antichrist, so do some hadiths say that the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) sought refuge from the “days of Haraj”. According to a narration from Musnad Ahmad, the Prophet (pbuh) said:
بَيْنَ يَدَيِ السَّاعَةِ، أَيَّامُ الْهَرْجِ فَنَعُوذُ بِاللہِ أَنْ تُدْرِکَنَا تِلْکَ وَإِيَّاکُمْ الْأَيَّامُ.
“When the Hour is near, the days of Haraj will arrive. So, we seek Allah’s refuge from these days and beware of them.” (16)
How and when will this tribulation will end?
The last part of the Hadith of Abu Huraira compiled by Nu‘aym bin Hammad, that we have quoted at the beginning of this dissertation, have some more facts that are very important. The last paragraphs of this hadith are as follow:|
وَلَا يَنْجُو مِنْهَا إِلَّا مَنْ دَعَا کَدُعَاءِ الْغَرِقِ فِى الْبَحْرِ، تَدُومُ اثْنَيْ عَشَرَ عَامًا، تَنْجَلِى حِينَ تَنْجَلِى وَقَدِ انْحَسَرَتِ الْفُرَاتُ عَنْ جَبَلٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، فَيَقْتَتِلُونَ عَلَيْهَا حَتَّى يُقْتَلَ مِنْ کُلِّ تِسْعَةٍ سَبْعَةٌ.
“Only he will be saved from this tribulation, who prays like a drowning man. This tribulation will last for twelve years. When it is over, river Euphrates will become dry, and a mountain of gold will rise from it. People will be a great war for it, until seven out of nine will be killed.”(17)
The first thing stated in this phrase of the hadith is that nothing will save an afflicted man except an earnest supplication like the one who is drowning. In other words, just as a drowning person has no choice but to supplicate, in the same way, nothing can save a person from this tribulation, except for supplication and weeping in front of Allah. The Hadith also mentions that this tribulation will wreak havoc for twelve years. The period of twelve years has not been mentioned anywhere else except this hadith. Therefore nothing can be said with certainty as to how long this tribulation will remain as a nuisance in human life. However, these are early day. It’s been six months since the disease started anyway. Scientists say that it will take at least 18 months before a vaccine is in our hands. Then it will take several years before the vaccine is available to everyone. Hence, mankind cannot expect to come out of the clutches of this tribulation any sooner. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said in a recent statement that the Coronavirus will never be eradicated, and it will remain forever.
The last part of the Hadith tells us that after this tribulation is over, a great war will commence in the Middle-East in which a large number of people will be killed. A comparative study of haidths in this regard shows that with the appearance of this tribulation, the series of events of the last days of the Hour has begun. According to the hadiths, when the situation in this regard becomes the worst, then Imam Mahdi will appear on the scene.
References:
10 – Bukhari, 3176.
11 – Al-Nihayah fi Gharibil Athar, 3/370.
12 – Tajul ‘Urus, 5/105.
13 – Lisanul Arab, 7/78.
14 – Lisanul Arab, 18/111.
15 – Musannaf of Ibn Abi Shaybah, Hadith no. 37734.
16 – Musnad Ahmed, 16820.
17 – Nu‘aym bin Hammad, Al-Fitan, p.651.