Without Chaos and Discord

Shaykh Muqbil b. Hādī al-Wādi’ī (رَحِمَهُ اللهُ)

Question:

Regarding the sayings of the Prophet Muḥammad (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) about contagion, where he says: “There is no contagion and no omen” and other ḥadīths in which the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) negates contagion, and other sayings like: “Flee from the leper as you would flee from a lion,” we seek from you, Shaykh, guidance on how to reconcile these ḥadīths with the statements of scholars regarding contagion, especially given that some contemporary experts claim that with current discoveries, it is impossible for contagion not to exist?

Answer:

All praise is due to Allāh, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muḥammad, his family, his companions, and those who follow him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allāh alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muḥammad is His servant and Messenger.

As for the matter at hand, there has been a difference of opinion among the Companions themselves regarding the ḥadīths on contagion, as well as among the scholars who followed them. Abū Hurayrah (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ) initially narrated the ḥadīth “There is no contagion,” but later refrained from narrating it and instead narrated the ḥadīth “Flee from the leper as you would flee from a lion.” He thus believed that contagion has an effect.

On the other hand, ‘Ā’ishah (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا) believed that contagion does not have an effect. Scholars (رَحِمَهُمُ اللَّهُ) have various opinions on this matter.

Some have said, regarding the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah “There is no contagion,” that this means there is no contagion that inherently affects by its nature, as the pre-Islamic pagens believed, but rather by the will of Allāh, the Exalted. Others have said that the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) negated contagion and only said, “Flee from the leper as you would flee from a lion,” to safeguard the soundness of one’s faith, so that the healthy person does not mix with the sick and then become ill, leading him to say, “The Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said, ‘There is no contagion,’ yet I became ill and caused illness,” thereby causing doubt in the faith. To preserve faith, the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said, “Flee from the leper as you would flee from a lion.”

When the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said, “There is no contagion,” a bedouin asked, “What about the camel that enters among the healthy camels, and they become like gazelles (referring to a camel with mange that spreads it to others)?” The Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) then said, “Who infected the first one?”

The great scholar Ibn al-Qayyim (رَحِمَهُ اللهُ) said, as mentioned in “Fath al-Majid Sharh Kitāb al-Tawḥīd,” that it does not contradict the idea that Allāh may place a cause for contagion in the mixing of a healthy person with a sick one, just as He has placed poison in certain creatures, which can then transfer to the one stung. What is negated according to Ibn al-Qayyim is the belief of the pre-Islamic pagans that contagion inherently affects on its own without the will of Allāh.

What appears to me is that there is no contagion, based on the evidence that the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said, “Who infected the first one?” As for those who say it is impossible for contagion not to occur due to modern discoveries, they have been preceded by the Companions and those after them, and there is no harm in their view, provided they attribute it to the will of Allāh, the Exalted. However, I believe that contagion does not have an effect, as the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) negated it and said, “Who infected the first one?” And Allāh knows best.

Source: Ghārat al-Ashriṭah vol. 1, pgs. 383-384

Concluding Benefits and Reflections

A number of important benefits and valuable lessons are derived from the Shaykh’s response, including:

Firstly, the Shaykh explicitly mentioned that this issue was one in which the Companions themselves differed, such as the differing views of Abū Hurayrah (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ) and ‘Ā’ishah (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا). This is a crucial clarification, because it demonstrates that the matter is not from the foundational issues of ‘aqīdah because it is well established that the Companions did not differ in the core principles of belief; therefore, this disagreement occurred in an area where scholarly difference is valid and recognized.

Secondly, the Shaykh affirmed that this difference did not end with the Companions, but continued among the scholars who came after them. Despite this ongoing disagreement, the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah did not allow this issue to become a cause of division or hostility towards one another. Rather, they acknowledged the legitimacy of differing interpretations, respected one another’s reasoning and evidences, and preserved unity upon the Sunnah.

Thirdly, the Shaykh’s method of answering the question itself is a tremendous lesson. He mentioned the various scholarly views, cited their proofs, referenced the statements of the scholars—such as Ibn al-Qayyim—and clarified the reasoning behind each position. He then concluded without declaring those who held the opposing view to be blameworthy or misguided. This teaches us the correct way to approach scholarly disagreement: with knowledge, fairness, and restraint, rather than accusation and harshness.

Lastly, the Shaykh clarified that even contemporary discussions about contagion do not introduce a new problem, as similar discussions already existed among the Companions and early scholars. The key principle, as he emphasized, is that nothing occurs independently of the will of Allāh, regardless of the means or causes involved. This preserves correct belief while allowing room for legitimate scholarly difference.

Indeed, in this answer is a reminder that differences of opinion, supported by sound evidence, should never be a cause for hatred or division, but rather an opportunity to learn and display proper etiquettes of dispute and humility, while preserving unity among the people of the Sunnah.

May Allāh have mercy upon our beloved teacher Shaykh Muqbil b. Hādī al-Wādi’ī (رَحِمَهُ اللهُ) and allow us to benefit from this concise yet immensely beneficial answer.