When the mosques closed down... 448 H/1056 CE
A Historical Lesson for us in light of Coronavirus 1441 H/2020 CE
Imam AlDhahabi, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Al Athir & Ibn Al Jawzi narrate an event that occurred in 448 H of a drought which led to many deaths. The deaths became so many that they couldn't bury the bodies and it led to a massive epidemic disease that spread in Egypt, Andalus (Spain), and Iraq that led to the closure of mosques because of how many people passed away and even Hajj being cancelled from Iraq.
The massive deaths led to people not being able to bury their deceased and the mosques were closed.
Ibn Al Jawzi & AlDhahabi shows how desperate the situation was in that year:
1. Inflation - prices sky rocketed (4 chickens were worth a golden dinar).
2. The dead were buried without being washed or covered.
3. He says that the air was polluted (which indicates that it became an airborne infection).
4. Flies were everywhere.
5. In Egypt, a thousand people died per day which only got worse over time, so much so that the Sultan had to pay for 18,000 funerals with his own money.
6. Mosques were mass closed in Andalus and other areas and the ear was called the Year of Hunger.
Ibn Kathir mentions this in both 439 H and 448 H
He says that there was a pandemic caused from the rotting of animal carcasses, which again pushed prices up and markets were empty, the people of Mosul established social distancing and only 400 would pray Jumuah.
What this teaches us:
Trying times have passed before us, and they are a test for us to how we overcome and come together.
These trials aren't unique to us. Humanity has faced much worse prior and we will overcome this, the only thing that is unique is how WE face them.
We can overcome with the power of faith that teaches us: afflictions show who you truly are, when you are stripped of everything material your true soul shows. It is THAT soul that is judged only by God. Let us reflect deeply and discover in this time who we truly are and let us find ourselves in finding our Creator and reconnecting with our purpose.
إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ ۚ وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَاءَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ
If you have suffered affliction, similar affliction has touched others ˹before you˺. We alternate these days among people so that Allah may reveal the ˹true˺ believers, choose martyrs from among you—and Allah does not love evildoers—
Quran 3:140
وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
If God touches you with affliction, no one can remove it except Him, and if He touches you with good, He has power over all things
Quran 6:17
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of property, lives, and crops. But [Prophet], give good news to those who are patiently steadfast,
those who say, when afflicted with a calamity, ‘We belong to God and to Him we shall return.’
Quran 2:155-156
The Legacy Institute
Research done alongside a blessed researcher who doesn't want to be named
Al Imam Ad Dhahabi shows that mosques have been closed before due to the spreading of severe infections.
Tarikh Al Islam by Imam Adh Dhahabi: (Dr. Bashar Awad Critical Ed.) (9/615)
Al Kamil fit Tareekh by Imam Ibn Al Athir. Darul Kutub Arabi, Beirut: 2020. (8/144-145)
Al Muntadam by Imam Ibn Al Jawzi: (Dar Al Kutub al I’lmiyyah) 16/5
AlBidayah wa AlNihayah by Imam Ibn Kathir (Dar Ibn Kathir) (13/106-107)
📌 @ibneRasool
The massive deaths led to people not being able to bury their deceased and the mosques were closed.
Ibn Al Jawzi & AlDhahabi shows how desperate the situation was in that year:
1. Inflation - prices sky rocketed (4 chickens were worth a golden dinar).
2. The dead were buried without being washed or covered.
3. He says that the air was polluted (which indicates that it became an airborne infection).
4. Flies were everywhere.
5. In Egypt, a thousand people died per day which only got worse over time, so much so that the Sultan had to pay for 18,000 funerals with his own money.
6. Mosques were mass closed in Andalus and other areas and the ear was called the Year of Hunger.
Ibn Kathir mentions this in both 439 H and 448 H
He says that there was a pandemic caused from the rotting of animal carcasses, which again pushed prices up and markets were empty, the people of Mosul established social distancing and only 400 would pray Jumuah.
What this teaches us:
Trying times have passed before us, and they are a test for us to how we overcome and come together.
These trials aren't unique to us. Humanity has faced much worse prior and we will overcome this, the only thing that is unique is how WE face them.
We can overcome with the power of faith that teaches us: afflictions show who you truly are, when you are stripped of everything material your true soul shows. It is THAT soul that is judged only by God. Let us reflect deeply and discover in this time who we truly are and let us find ourselves in finding our Creator and reconnecting with our purpose.
إِن يَمْسَسْكُمْ قَرْحٌ فَقَدْ مَسَّ الْقَوْمَ قَرْحٌ مِّثْلُهُ ۚ وَتِلْكَ الْأَيَّامُ نُدَاوِلُهَا بَيْنَ النَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُمْ شُهَدَاءَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الظَّالِمِينَ
If you have suffered affliction, similar affliction has touched others ˹before you˺. We alternate these days among people so that Allah may reveal the ˹true˺ believers, choose martyrs from among you—and Allah does not love evildoers—
Quran 3:140
وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
If God touches you with affliction, no one can remove it except Him, and if He touches you with good, He has power over all things
Quran 6:17
وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ
الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of property, lives, and crops. But [Prophet], give good news to those who are patiently steadfast,
those who say, when afflicted with a calamity, ‘We belong to God and to Him we shall return.’
Quran 2:155-156
The Legacy Institute
Research done alongside a blessed researcher who doesn't want to be named
Al Imam Ad Dhahabi shows that mosques have been closed before due to the spreading of severe infections.
Tarikh Al Islam by Imam Adh Dhahabi: (Dr. Bashar Awad Critical Ed.) (9/615)
Al Kamil fit Tareekh by Imam Ibn Al Athir. Darul Kutub Arabi, Beirut: 2020. (8/144-145)
Al Muntadam by Imam Ibn Al Jawzi: (Dar Al Kutub al I’lmiyyah) 16/5
AlBidayah wa AlNihayah by Imam Ibn Kathir (Dar Ibn Kathir) (13/106-107)
📌 @ibneRasool
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