H.E. Prof. Koutoub Moustapha Sano, Secretary General of the International Islamic Fiqh Academy, delivered on Sunday, 13 Ramadan 1442, corresponding to 25 April 2021 a virtual Ramadan lecture entitled “Ramadan and Corona: Best Practices” as part of the Ramadan lectures hosted by the World Council of Muslim Communities in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

His Excellency began his lecture with thanks and praise for the good efforts of the World Council of Muslim Communities under the leadership of its Chairman Dr. Ali bin Rashid Al Nuaimi and its Secretary General, Dr. Muhammad Al-Bashari, through valuable intellectual lectures and seminars for the benefit Muslims worldwide and that contribute to the renewal of Islamic thought and the consolidation of the concepts and values ​​such as moderation, dialogue, tolerance, and religious, ethnic, and cultural pluralism.

His Excellency then referred to the current unprecedented and challenging situation through which humanity is living under the repercussions of the Corona pandemic, which has deeply affected our daily life and practices. In this regard, he called on all Muslims worldwide to positively respond to the authorities’ instructions in their countries, especially taking the vaccines to protect themselves and those around them. Further, Muslims should avoid engaging in conspiracy theories that are futile and can only cause division and weakness to their societies. Indeed, the International Islamic Fiqh Academy has issued a statement on the positions of Shariah towards Covid-19 vaccination, which was based on the recommendations of reliable and competent medical specialists in the Muslim world and elsewhere. The IIFA declared that it is lawful to take the vaccines, and it could become compulsory if the legitimate authorities decide so. Therefore Muslims should take vaccines to help save lives.

His Excellency added that there are many effective practices that we should adhere to during this blessed month of Ramadan. On top of that practices, we must keep praying and invoking the Almighty to help humanity to defeat Covid-19 as soon as possible. Hence, moderation is one of the best practices during the month of Ramadan, the month of moderation in all that we do, particularly when eating, drinking and sleeping. In other words, it is, in fact a month of worship and not a month of extravagance in eating; therefore, we have to spend more of what we have on the poor and the needy who are desperate for our assistance to alleviate the burden of poverty from them. His Excellency also stressed that Ramadan is the month of increasing our worship and good deeds, so a Muslim should take advantage of this holy month to spend most of his or her time in prayers, supplication, reading the Qur’an and doing righteous deeds instead of long hours of laziness and sleep.

His Excellency also warned against some harmful behaviors such as excessive anger, arguments, and fighting during this holy month, in which we must instead be patient with everyone and treat them all with love and kindness. He also encouraged good practices such as social visits, especially visiting parents, to obtain their blessings with total commitment and observance of health safety requirements.

In conclusion, His Excellency affirmed the need to seize the opportunity of this holy month to change for the better, to reform our behaviors and practices, treat everyone and ourselves with kindness, and to pray to Allah to remove this pandemic and keep its scourge away from us and also pray for goodness, peace and security to prevail among all human beings.