Authentic view of Suspension of jumuah (Congregational) prayer during corona (covid-19) virus in Islam.

BismiLLAH.

The world is at a time of great crisis. The world has coke to a stand still. Schools, universities, large corporations, small businesses, markets and many more activities have been suspended due to the corona virus pandemic.

This is because of of the ways the virus spreads is by close contact between individuals.

Then there comes a dilemma. Religious gathering including congregational salah and jumuah have been advised to be suspended and in some places enforced.
There have been some Muslims who have been stubborn and said that they won't suspend their congregational prayers and there have been some Muslims who have chickened out and stopped their congregational salah (and in a weird case, invented a new method of praying).
The question we ask ourselves now is that 'what is the authentic Islamic opinion on the suspension of salah during this pandemic'.

We should know that Islam is a complete way of life guided by principles from the Quran and sunnah.

Allah says, "...  And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger,...."(1)

Let me start by this hadith, Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "He who eats of this plant (garlic) should not approach our mosque and should not harm us with the odour of garlic." (2)

The scholars of Islam have said that one of the reason for the prohibition is because of its offensive smell and it would hurt the worshippers.

Now the question i ask is that, between a garlic that has only a bad odour and a virus that has the ability to harm your health and even kill, which is more dangerous.
Islam is a simple and very straightforward religion that emphasizes on the protection of life and property.

In another hadith, The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: those with contagious diseases should be kept away from those who are healthy". (3)
The thing about this deadly virus is that you might not know who is sick and who is healthy this is because a person may be an asymptomatic carrier, that a person not showing signs and symptoms of a disease but can infect other people.

To crown it all up, The Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu alayhi wa sallam) said clearly,

"Those who stay at home to protect themselves and others are under the protection of Allah". Musnad Ahmad. Sahih.


(1)https://quran.com/4/59?translations=101,84,19,22,21,20,18,95,17,85

(2)www.sahihmuslim.com/sps/smm/sahihmuslim.cfm?scn=dspchaptersfull&BookID=4&ChapterID=211
(3)https://abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2012/08/21/infection-qadr-quarantine/