How to commemorate Imam Hussain’s martyrdom during the coronavirus pandemic?

Praise is due to the Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon Prophet Muhammad and his pure household

I extend my condolences on the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussain (as) to the Imam of the age (as) and the respected maraji’ especially the Supreme Leader and all Muslim and Shias as well as you respected attendees. I hope God has determined for us benefitting from the month of Muharram by paying respect to and mourning for Imam Hussain (as). 

In the beginning I would like to indicate some points. Later on I will answer the questions in detail.

COVID-19 is a weird virus which has spread worldwide in the course of the past few months. It has afflicted not only the health system but also economy, politics, society, communication and in sum, all aspects of human life. Now is not the time to speak about its effects on the world.

The subject we want to touch on in this meeting is that people could not hold religious ceremonies in the month of Ramadhan in order to not spread the virus. Now we are on the threshold of the month of Muharram and the same issue arises as to what we should do in respect to mourning for Imam Hussain (as) and how can we pay respect to him taking into account the current pandemic? Coronavirus made it clear for all people of the world that there is no contradiction between religion and science. Religious authorities accept scientific realities and adjust people’s attendance in religious ceremonies accordingly. 

All people know that the corona pandemic is a fact. The claim that coronavirus impacts certain gatherings and does not enter mosques and the holy shrines or it cannot affect mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussain (as) is a rare claim to which no heed must be paid but unfortunately this claim can be seen in cyberspace and sometimes is ascribed to the seminary and the clerics.

According to reliable historical accounts, poison affected the body of the Prophet (s.a.w.a) and Imam Ali (as) and it caused the death of other Imams while there is no one higher in position than the Prophet (s.a.w.a) and after him the commander of the faithful and the Imams. Despite that they have been quoted to have said, “There is no one among us but he is either poisoned or killed.” Thus, how can anyone claim that coronavirus has no effect in the holy shrines or in gatherings for Ahl al-Bayt (as) or if, God forbid, corona carriers attend such gatherings the virus will not spread?

Unfortunately, such claims are made and mentioned in some books. Didn’t we see in the uprising in Iraq that Saddam and his soldiers entered the holy shrines of Imam Ali (as) and Imam Hussain (as) and fired projectiles? The bullet holes can still be seen on the walls of the shrines. Thus, how can one assert that bullets have not effect in the holy shrines of the Imams (as)?

As said, coronavirus is a reality but the question is: what to do in regard with organizing mourning ceremonies for Imam Hussain (as) which is intertwined with our revolution and is a part and parcel of the Shiite creed during this pandemic and the danger of spreading the virus? Is it sufficient that people sit in their homes and watch ceremonies on TV?

This matter must be touched on from different medical, jurisprudential and practical aspects in order to achieve, God willing, a solution based on which on the one hand lovers of Imam Hussain (as) are not deprived of mourning for him and can demonstrate their love for the Imam (as) and on the other hand, they do not contribute to the spread of the virus. 

Part of speech by Ayatullah Fazel Lankarani (May God prolong his life) in the scholarly gathering on the subject of ‘Mourning Ceremonies during Corona Pandemic’