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The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Ties
Author : Dr. Ahmad Al-Harasees
Date Added : 10-01-2023

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Ties

 

 

All perfect praise be to Allah the Lord of the Worlds; may His peace and blessings be upon Prophet Mohammad, his family and noble companions.

Allah The Almighty Says {What means}: "Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere," {Al-Baqarah/155}.

In light of this global pandemic and the spatiotemporal frame of the social reality in Jordan, two trends can be observed:

First: The positive trend.  Creating opportunity from the very womb of affliction and positive changes in the visible and clear patterns of behavior in society as a whole or in the family. Both sociologists and specialists in social and family relations must consider these changes, work on the change management process, strengthen the positives and build on them.

There are several examples on this; some of which are: abstaining from what is called "Conspicuous consumption", investing in new positive patterns in the family system and building on them in the future; particularly since the pandemic has given a bigger chance for interdependence and solidarity within the family itself. In addition, the family system and solidarity among its members must be worked on in the future. This can be achieved through paying more attention to solidarity and love compared to rights and duties. In this regard, Allah Says  {What means}: " And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect." {Ar-rum/21}.

Many aspects of excessive extravagance related to happy as well as sad occasions have changed. This is in addition to terminating extravagance and ostentation, and burdening the family with issues concerning society`s security.

Hence societal effort through the society as a whole, governmental or voluntary, emphasized these positives via media, cultural platforms, and the fatwas-based on divine guidance and Prophetic traditions-issued by the Iftaa` Department in this regard. In fact, several Friday sermons addressing this pandemic were delivered prior to the comprehensive ban. Their theme was the higher objectives of Sharia; namely preserving life and the importance of prevention as it is better than cure. Then a fatwa was issued regarding the permissibility of praying Friday and congregational prayers at home during the time of the pandemic was an act of new Ijtihad.* The latter took the common good into consideration by laying emphasis on preserving life as one of the higher objectives of Sharia. Moreover, many fatwas were issued concerning social distancing, spacing among prayer performers, wearing masks, instructions of attending Friday and congregational prayers, and washing the person who died due to COVID-19. This is in addition to many fatwas and Sharia guidance, which had a significant effect in raising people`s awareness, not questioning the instructions issued about this pandemic within the frames of Ijtihad conducted on the higher objectives of Sharia.

Second: The negative impact of the pandemic. On top of this is the financial status of many families relying on daily income, which led to family problems and divorce cases caused by poverty, destitution, and inability to secure the basic needs of the family.

I refer here to the need to study the poll published by the Center for Strategic Studies of the University of Jordan on "COVID-19 and Domestic Violence." It showed results and indicators that needed careful consideration. However, some results were positive, must be focused on, built on, and encouraged. One of these is society`s rejection to the idea that it is the right of the husband to be violent against his wife. The percentage in favor of this idea was 99%, 85% recognized wife`s household responsibilities, 66% tried to find solutions for their children problems, and 80% was the percentage of parent-child communication, in addition to many other positive aspects.

In conclusion, this pandemic has shown many positive as well as negative aspects in society. It is the duty of the professionals of this field to study further this case, build on the positives within the society change management, and reduce the negative aspects through awareness raising.

We ask Allah The Exalted to protect Jordan and its people, and end this scourge. All perfect praise be to Allah The Lord of The Worlds.

 

 

* Ijtihad is an Islamic legal term referring to independent reasoning by an expert in Islamic law, or the thorough exertion of a jurist's mental faculty in finding a solution to a legal question. It is contrasted with taqlid.

 

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Summarized Fatawaa

Is it permissible for a pious Muslim woman to stay with her husband who had quit praying out of laziness?

Quitting prayer is one of the major grave sins that come after disbelieving in Allah, but the wife of such a person isn`t considered divorced, rather, she should exert all her efforts in order to bring him back to the way of Islam. However, if his sin is likely to lure her from the way of Islam, then she had better separate from him by lawful means such as Mokhal`aa (When a wife pays a compensation for her husband in return for divorcing her). Moreover, if she exercises patience, and remains steadfast on her faith, then there is no harm in doing that.

What is the ruling on using toothpaste during the day in Ramadan?

Using toothpaste does not break the fast as long as nothing reaches the body cavity. However, it is disliked (makruh).
It is preferable for a fasting person to use it before the time of fast starts or after Iftar (breaking the fast) to avoid risking their fast.

How many prostrations of Quranic recital are there, and is it permissible not to offer them while reciting?

There is one prostration for the Quranic recital, and it is a Sunnah for which one is rewarded upon offering it. However, one who doesn`t isn`t punished. Therefore, those who fail to offer it aren`t considered sinful, rather they deprive themselves from the reward.

What is the ruling on one who vows to fast a specific or non-specific year? Are the two Eids, the days of Tashreeq, Ramadan, and the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding included in them? And do these days break the consecutiveness if it was intended?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
If someone makes a vow (Nadr) to fast a specific, designated year, this vow does not include the days of Eid, the days of Tashreeq (the three days following Eid al-Adha), Ramadan, or the days of menstruation (Hayd) and postnatal bleeding (Nifas). Furthermore, there is no requirement to make up (Qada) these specific days.
 
However, if someone vows to fast a year that is not specifically designated (i.e., any twelve-month period) and stipulates that the fasting must be consecutive, they are bound by that condition. They must not fast on the days of Eid, during Ramadan, or during menstruation, but they are required to make up these days afterward—with the exception of the days of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, which do not need to be made up.
 
It is stated in Hashiyat al-Bajuri ‘ala Sharh Ibn Qasim ({Vol.2/P.606): 'If one vows to fast a specific year, the Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, and days of menstruation or postnatal bleeding are not included. This is because Ramadan does not accept any fast other than its own, and the others do not accept fasting at all. Therefore, they do not enter into the vow, and no makeup is required for them because they are legally excluded—contrary to Al-Rafi’i regarding menstruation and postnatal bleeding.
 
If one vows to fast a non-designated year: if they stipulated consecutiveness (Tatuabu’) in their vow, they must fulfill it; otherwise, they are not bound to it. Consecutiveness is not broken by the days that do not enter into the specific year vow (Eid, Tashreeq, Ramadan, menstruation, and postnatal bleeding). However, one must make up the days missed—excluding the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding—immediately following the end of the year. As for the time of menstruation and postnatal bleeding, it is not made up, contrary to Ibn al-Rif’ah, who argued that it must be made up just like Ramadan.' And Allah the Exalted knows best.

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