The ruling on going to Makkah for 'Umrah during an epidemic, and whether it takes the ruling of the plague
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
May Allah reward you. This questioner says: I heard one of the health officials warning about crowded places regarding the current disease. I heard one of the officials in the Ministry of Health warning about the danger of crowded places regarding the swine flu disease.
The Shaykh:
Yes, may Allah bless you. Yes.
The questioner:
So what is the ruling on going to Makkah to perform 'Umrah and pray the tarawih, and to do so frequently? Does it take the ruling of the plague?
The Shaykh:
Yes, they have not prevented going to Makkah, nor have they prevented praying in the Sacred Mosque. They only say: avoid the crowds as a precaution. They have not prevented prayer, nor have they prevented going to Makkah, nor have they prevented Hajj and 'Umrah. They only say: go, but avoid the crowds; do not enter them; stay away from the crowds. Avoiding crowds is required, even if there is no swine flu. Avoiding crowds is required; do not enter the crowds and cause discomfort to people and to yourself. If, in addition to this, there is fear of the disease, then there is no doubt that avoiding crowds becomes more confirmed. Yes.
May Allah reward you. This questioner says: I heard one of the health officials warning about crowded places regarding the current disease. I heard one of the officials in the Ministry of Health warning about the danger of crowded places regarding the swine flu disease.
The Shaykh:
Yes, may Allah bless you. Yes.
The questioner:
So what is the ruling on going to Makkah to perform 'Umrah and pray the tarawih, and to do so frequently? Does it take the ruling of the plague?
The Shaykh:
Yes, they have not prevented going to Makkah, nor have they prevented praying in the Sacred Mosque. They only say: avoid the crowds as a precaution. They have not prevented prayer, nor have they prevented going to Makkah, nor have they prevented Hajj and 'Umrah. They only say: go, but avoid the crowds; do not enter them; stay away from the crowds. Avoiding crowds is required, even if there is no swine flu. Avoiding crowds is required; do not enter the crowds and cause discomfort to people and to yourself. If, in addition to this, there is fear of the disease, then there is no doubt that avoiding crowds becomes more confirmed. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [57/186] حكم الذهاب لمكة للعمرة زمن الوباء وهل يأخذ حكم الطاعون؟ - صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.