Religious Perspectives on the Origin of the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis of a Sharia-based Community

Catastrophes such as natural disasters, conflicts, and epidemics bring difficulties and misfortunes, but people also retain hope. The recent coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has tested people on what they feel and are reliant on, particularly their beliefs. It is intriguing to examine the perspectives of a community with strong religious beliefs during this pandemic. In this article, we explore the religious perspectives of Sharia-based communities in Aceh Province, Indonesia, on the origin and meaning of the pandemic, which might affect their belief systems. We limited our critical assessment to philosophical theodicies and the shift in rationalizing the outbreak. Our study revealed how the virus triggered people to integrate logic with spiritual thoughts. Data were retrieved from twenty informants with various backgrounds to sample a cross-section of perspectives. During the difficult days of the epidemic, people pondered ‘who' and ‘why', which led them to think about theodicy, which we used as the basis for our research. By utilizing a narrative inquiry, three premises were classified: COVID-19 is God's doing, COVID-19 is not an intervention of God, and COVID-19 is still controlled by God, not other factors. The first premise turned out to be the dominant one, being based on the locals' strong belief in the omnipotence of God. This reveals a widespread understanding of the origin of the pandemic that can be compared with other systems of meaning in different religions. © 2023 Ulster Institute for Social Research. All rights reserved.

"virus jihad": The (mis)representation of muslims during covid 19 outbreak in indian media

This study examined the media representations of Muslims during the first wave of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in India. The study conducted a thematic discourse analysis on TV debates in the aftermath of an Islamic congregation in Delhi whose attendees were tested positive with COVID-19 infection. The study found an overall negative representation of Muslims in the mainstream media which corroborates previous studies, albeit, in different contexts. Three key themes that emerged from media narratives were representing Muslims as: (i) carriers of the virus bomb (ii) 'super spreaders' and (iii) the uncivilized 'Other' with irreconcilable differences. These findings were situated in the wider (re)emerging field of Hindu nationalism to argue that the unsympathetic representation of Muslims in the media reflected their support for the ethno-nationalist ideology of the current ruling dispensation. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 and the View from Africa

In Africa, refusal of COVID-19 and other vaccines is widespread for different reasons, including disbelief in the existence of the virus itself and faith in traditional remedies. In sub-Saharan countries, refusal is often made worse by opposition to vaccines by the religious establishments. This is a pressing problem, as Africa has the highest vaccine-avoidable mortality rate for children under the age of five in the world. Dialogue between those wishing to promote vaccines and those who resist them is essential if the situation is to be improved. This article argues that Western and other aid agencies seeking to promote vaccination programs need to develop a dialogue with resisters, and in this process to embrace and commend the ancient African philosophical tradition of Ubuntu, incorporating it into these programs as a way to overcome such entrenched resistance. The paper concludes with concrete recommendations for how to accomplish this goal.

The Pengurusan Kewangan Islam: Ke Arah Kesejahteraan Kewangan Institusi Keluarga di Malaysia Semasa Pandemik Covid-19

Pengurusan kewangan Islam merupakan satu aspek penting dalam institusi keluarga muslim. Pengurusannya yang patuh patuh syariah, tersusun dan sistematik harus dirancang dan dilakukan bagi mencapai matlamat kewangan lestari dalam institusi keluarga muslim. Kepentingan ini makin mendesak dikala seluruh manusia kini terpaksa berdepan dengan krisis kesihatan yang parah akibat pandemik Covid-19 yang melanda. Dilaporkan 60% rakyat Malaysia hanya mempunyai jumlah simpanan yang boleh bertahan selama 6 bulan sahaja jika berlaku kecemasan atau kehilangan pendapatan. Dan hanya 10.8% sahaja dalam kalangan masyarakat yang mampu bertahan jika berlaku situasi kecemasan terhadap ketua keluarga seperti kehilangan pekerjaan, hilang upaya atau kematian. Sedangkan pandemik Covid-19 yang sedang melanda dalam negara menuntut kepada persediaan kewangan keluarga yang sangat kukuh untuk berhadapan dengan suasana yang tidak dijangka semasa tempoh Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) dan tempoh darurat (lockdown). Justeru itu, artikel ini bertujuan untuk membincangkan beberapa isu yang timbul kesan daripada salahurus kewangan dalam institusi keluarga muslim serta cadangan yang relevan untuk berhadapan dengan pandemik Covid-19 menurut perspektif pengurusan kewangan Islam. Metode kajian ini adalah berbentuk kajian kualitatif deskriptif, iaitu Kajian kepustakaan menerusi rujukan buku-buku, artikel jurnal, kertas persidangan dan kajian ilmiah. Rujukan ini merupakan data primer kepada kajian ini. Selain itu, maklumat daripada hasil temubual pakar yang sedia ada melalui program-program ilmiah juga dijadikan rujukan dalam data kajian ini. Kajian mendapati hanya Institusi keluarga yang mempunyai kekuatan pendapatan dan minimum perbelanjaan yang disokong oleh tadbirurus kewangan yang sistematik mengikut sistem pengurusan kewangan Islam mampu bertahan dan boleh berhadapan dengan situasi pandemik Covid-19. Islamic financial management is an important aspect of Muslim family institution. Its Shariah -compliant, organized and systematic management should be planned and practiced to achieve sustainable financial goals in Muslim family institutions. This interest is increasingly urgent when all people are now having to deal with a severe health crisis due to the covid-19 pandemic. It is reported that 60% of Malaysians have only 6 months of savings in the event of an emergency or loss of income. And only 10.8% in the community have an ability to survive in the event of an emergency situation for family heads such as loss of employment, disability or death. While the Covid-19 pandemic in the country is demanding a strong family financial preparation to deal with an unexpected atmosphere during the Movement Control Order (MCO) and the Lockdown period. Therefore, this article aims to discuss some of the issues that arise from financial misunderstandings in Muslim family institutions as well as relevant proposals to face Covid-19 pandemics according to Islamic financial management perspectives. The method of this study is in the form of descriptive qualitative studies, namely library studies through book reference, journal articles, conference papers and scientific studies. This reference is a primary data for this study. In addition, information from existing expert interviews through scientific programs is also referred to as the data of this study. Studies have found that only family institutions with income strength and minimum expenditure supported by systematic financial management according to the Islamic financial management system have survived and can face the Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Discourses of the wandering Almajiri child as representation of the (post-) COVID generation

The African child is a curious phenomenon in a world of shrinking population and dramatic COVID-19 economic misfortune. Both of these global crises require a youthful generation of innovators and visionaries to promote new ways of regenerating the planet. Yet, as Africa represents the future in population acceleration and natural resources, the current demonization of the almajiri [pl. almajirai]-"Quranic child learner"-as a "super-spreader" in Nigeria symbolizes a disavowal of hope in the future of humanity as a whole. This negative portrayal has further highlighted the evident institutional failure to see children as victims of global inequality and to address the issue in ways that tackle the root causes of this migratory misadventure. The humanities have a role to play here, and in this essay, we will use both fictional and non-fictional narratives to trace the life chances of a class of youths who see their condition as faith, fate, and transitional. The permanence of their condition, we argue, is a relatively recent phenomenon brought about by the vicissitudes of displacement, alienation, and a culture of misplaced priorities. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023. All rights reserved.

Disease discourses, African knowledge systems, and COVID-19 in Senegal

Too often African knowledge systems are excluded from formal discussions surrounding public health, as they are often perceived traditional mechanisms that operate outside the sphere of mainstream science and medicine. Yet with the diffusion of COVID-19 across the globe, new conversations have emerged in relation to Africa's community-based successes in responding to the virus and its impacts. This chapter employs a geographical analysis of Senegal in order to highlight the ways in which Senegalese have approached the diffusion of COVID-19 and successfully controlled its spread. Using maps and qualitative data, this chapter underscores the ways in which global public health experts can draw from the expertise of African nations given the complex ways they have responded to both this pandemic and previous health emergencies. Findings indicate that science and community-based response systems are the key to Senegal's management of coronavirus. This chapter aims to subvert dominant discourses, which suggest that African states somehow stumbled upon their pandemic-related successes. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023. All rights reserved.

Muslims' lifeworld during the pandemic and humanistic interpretation of Religions

Some proponents of new atheism, including Dawkins, claim that religion, especially Islam, is the cause of the war because it encourages divisiveness and labeling. In this article, in the first step, I will show that Islam is not the cause of war, but rather it is a misconception of Islam that is the cause of divisiveness and eventually war. Then, I will demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on societies and religious behaviors somehow could, and still can, modify this misconception and blur divisions. This effect occurs in two ways: firstly, a pandemic creates common human problems for all people worldwide, making people more aware of their common points that Islam refers to as fitrah. This awareness of human beings' common fitrah provides the grounds for presenting and accepting a humanistic interpretation of Islam. Secondly, the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on correcting Islamic beliefs is seen in epistemological explanations made possible thanks to online religious programs. Finally, I will try to apply this model to three types of religious conflict and explain why the COVID-19 pandemic can explain the decrease in the conflict in each: first, Muslims' violence against non-Muslims;second, non-Muslims' violence against Muslims;and third, violence within Islam, such as Shiite-Sunni conflicts. It seems that the closure of religious centers, transference of religious rituals to cyber-Islam, and the creation of global human-ethical existence have increased the amount of digital content produced in any religion and sect. Moreover, these contents have shifted towards intellectual, discursive, and epistemological topics. Finally, these contents put more emphasis on common human and ethical issues such as helping fellow human beings.

The Sociability Argument for the Burqa Ban: A Qualified Defence.

Over the past decade, countries such as France, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Latvia, and Bulgaria have banned face-coverings from public spaces. These bans are popularly known as 'burqa bans' as they seem to have been drafted with the aim of preventing people from wearing burqas and niqabs specifically. The scholarly response to these bans has been overwhelmingly negative, with several lawyers and philosophers arguing that they violate the human right to freedom of religion. While this article shares some of the concerns that have been raised, it argues that banning face-coverings in public is morally justified under certain conditions with the exception of facemasks that are necessary for the containment of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19. The reason for this is that those who publicly cover their face make it very difficult for other members of society to socially interact with them, especially for those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, which is problematic in an age where many people are chronically lonely or at risk of becoming chronically lonely. As such, this article can be understood as a more elaborate, and arguably more sophisticated, defence of the justification that France offered for its face-covering ban before the European Court of Human Rights, namely that covering one's face undermines the conditions for 'living together'.

How Do Arab and Moslem Countries and Communities Act in Dealing with the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The global spread of COVID-19 and the uncertainty of finding an immediate cure for such an invisible and ubiquitous pandemic have triggered many believers of the Islamic faith and their respective Arab and Moslem governments and religious institutions to act quickly to initiate hands-on efforts to deal with the crisis. They have grounded their work on several centuries of medical tradition and body-health wisdom emanating from the Quran and the Prophet Mohammad's Peace upon Him sayings and deeds in respect to how to grapple with such unexpected human crises. This paper seeks to highlight the intertwining between traditional norms and religious belief on one hand, and modern-day practices and strategies for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic on the other. The focus is centered on Arab and Moslem countries. Although Islamic and Arab areas are considered among the most culturally and territorially cohesive places on earth, they have not necessarily pursued a unified strategy in confronting the pandemic. Furthermore, Moslem/Arab communities have extended far beyond the core Arab/Moslem localities. They have migrated over centuries to all continents, making their homes in new places, while still adhering to their ancestral traditions and faith in developing effective practices for confronting a health crisis like the viral pandemic. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2022.

Reevaluating the risk minimization utility of Islamic stocks and bonds (Sukuk) in international financial markets

We examine the risk minimization utility of Islamic stock and Sukuk (bond) indices by studying their linkages against traditional global counterparts. We first employ an asymmetric power ARCH-based ADCC model on an extended dataset employed by Kenourgios et al. (2016). Our sample ranges from July 2007 to June 2021 covering the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), the European Sovereign Debt Crisis (ESDC), and the COVID-19 pandemic. Econometric tests suggest strong evidence of coupling in the bulk of Islamic equity indices. A handful of emerging market indices constitute exceptions. Qualitatively similar results emerge from time–frequency analysis via wavelet tools, revealing pervasive coupling in both returns and volatility series. The linkages are scale-dependent in only a few pairs. In contrast, Sukuk indices are uncoupled from their global fixed income counterparts and relevant risky debt portfolios. In sum, the risk-return characteristics of Islamic equities (especially in developed economies) remain coupled to major global benchmarks and therefore are unlikely to appeal as safe haven candidates. The converse applies to Sukuk, which promises potential portfolio diversification benefits and safe haven status in ‘normal' and crisis periods.

A Case Study of University Students' Performance in Arabic and Islamic Culture Courses Before and During the Pandemic (Face-to-Face and Online Instruction)

In the present study, we examined whether students' academic success in courses devoted to Arabic and Islamic culture changed when the familiar face-to-face delivery format (before the Covid-19 pandemic) was discarded in favor ofan online synchronous delivery format (during the pandemic). The final class grades of students enrolled in one of four courses in a sequence devoted to Arabic culture and religion were compared while holding constant the variable instructor. The ability of early performance indicators to predict final class grades was also examined to assess whether there were differences between instructional deliveries. Superior performance and lower failure rates were observed online for courses at the beginning of the sequence, but not at the end of the sequence. These findings suggest that the impact of instructional delivery might vary depending on the students' accumulated academic experience.

The use of zakat in the pandemic response: the case of Islamic Relief and BAZNAS in Indonesia

This article compares two Islamic organisations, a non-governmental and a national one, in their methods of collecting and distributing zakat, and analyses how they addressed the COVID-19 crisis with these funds in the period 2020–2021. The study examines Islamic Relief as a Muslim non-governmental organisation involved in humanitarian response, and the National Board of the Zakat Republic of Indonesia (BAZNAS) as a centralised national institution. Both of them are working to improve zakat management, due to the awareness of its untapped potential, but the measure of impacts and allocation of resources diverge in strategies and efforts. Considering their different structures, a comparison based on parallel analysis of collecting methods, distributing channels and programmes financed shows the limits, potentials and best practices of these two institutions committed to zakat management and its improvement.

Is Democracy Lost?

President Kais Saied's de facto dissolution of parliament in July 2021, abandonment of the constitution, and targeting of the opposition are clear signs that Tunisia is no longer a democracy and has returned to the authoritarian playbook of Arab leaders past and present. I see three main reasons for this abrupt end to Tunisia's decade-old democracy: 1) the failure to accompany political reform with socioeconomic gains for citizens;2) the subsequent rise of populism;and 3) the mistakes of the Islamic party. To move forward in Tunisia and the Arab world more broadly, prodemocratic forces must link freedom, development, and social justice.

The Concept of Al-Aql According to Islam and Its Role in Overcoming Gadget Addiction

Gadget addiction in society is a problem that deserves attention. Although these gadgets have a positive impact on individuals, gadgets are an effective medium of communication between two distant parties, especially when the world is in the post-CoVID-19 epidemic. Gadgets such as laptops or smartphones are especially important for those who work from home or students who study from home to prevent two-way communication from continuing as usual. Ironically, gadgets can also have negative effects when individuals become addicted to gadgets, such as affecting health and emotions. The role of al-Aql plays an important aspect, especially as a foundation that needs to be taken care of to deal with gadget addiction. This article paper has two main objectives. First, to explain the factors of addiction to gadgets in society. Second, to apply the addiction problem according to the concept of al-Aql in Islam towards gadget addiction. In order to achieve these objectives, the documentation method is carried out. The data is collected and analyzed based on content analysis to apply solutions to addiction according to Islam to the problem of gadget addiction. This study found three main factors of gadget addiction: gadgets addiction because of the influence of social media., the internet is easily accessible, and parental neglect of children. At the same time, there are three main solutions to gadget addiction, according to Islam. First, limit the use of gadgets, control social media based on Islam and enhance spiritual filling.

Suicide Response in American Muslim Communities: A Community Case Study

This community case study describes the experiences of two neighboring Muslim communities in the United States, following respective incidents of suicide. Case summaries are first presented to contextualize the community response to the suicides. Subsequently, the discussion highlights relevant cultural and religious factors that impacted the responses of mosque leadership, mental health professionals, and the communities at large. Concerns related to the deceased's afterlife, community connectedness, privacy, shame, and communication barriers were prominent in each case and shaped the courses of response. The COVID-19 pandemic and divergent responses to external support played significant roles in creating disparate outcomes in these communities. The discussion emphasizes the need for dissemination of evidence -based, religiously grounded, and culturally competent curricula for implementing mental health awareness programming and long-term suicide prevention efforts. Insights about cultural and religious factors influencing community responses were derived from the described cases in this paper and informed the development of a comprehensive suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention manual and training program tailored for Muslim communities.

Sukuk and bond dynamics in relation to exchange rate

PurposeThis study aims to contribute by expanding the existing literature on Sukuk return and volatility and exploring the implications of the Sukuk-exchange rate interactions.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines the dynamic interactions of Sukuk with exchange rate in 15 countries, employing the Wavelet approach that considers both time and investment horizons.FindingsThe results reveal significant evolving coherence of Sukuk return and volatility with the underlying exchange rate. The relationship is more potent than what this study witnesses in their counterpart bond market. For Sukuk returns, the coherence is negative, whereas it is positive for volatility. Notably, the coherence is strong in the medium to long term and intensifies during extreme economic episodes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings are further validated by comparing firm-level matched data for Sukuk and conventional bond.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that reports the dynamic relationship of Sukuk return and volatility with the underlying exchange rate in 15 countries. Collectively, this study unites valuable insights for faith-based active Islamic investors and cross-border portfolio managers.

Regime specific spillover between Dow Jones Islamic Market World Index, Islamic gold-backed crypto currencies and the blockchain halal index

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between Dow Jones Islamic Market World Index, Islamic gold-backed cryptocurrencies and halal chain in the presence of state (regime) dynamics.Design/methodology/approachThe authors have used the Markov-switching model to identify bull and bear market regimes. Moreover, the dynamic conditional correlation, the Baba, Engle, Kraft and Kroner- generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity and the wavelet coherence models are applied to detect the presence of spillover and contagion effects.FindingsThe findings indicate various patterns of spillover between halal chain, Dow Jones Islamic Market World Index and Islamic gold-backed cryptocurrencies in high and low volatility regimes, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, the contagion dynamics depend on the bull or bear periods of markets.Practical implicationsThese present empirical findings are important for current and potential traders in gold-backed cryptocurrencies in that they facilitate a better understanding of this new type of assets. Indeed, halal chain is a safe haven asset that should be combined with Islamic gold-backed cryptocurrencies for better performance in portfolio optimization and hedging, mainly during the COVID-19 period.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first research on the impact of the halal chain on the Dow Jones Islamic Market World Index return, Islamic gold-backed cryptocurrencies returns in the bear and bull markets around the global crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

An Analysis of the COVID-19 Impact on Business and Social Performance of Islamic Micro-Financial Institutions

Islamic micro-financial institutions (LKMS) provide services for micro businesses in the form of deposits, financing, and social assistance as the main activities. The COVID-19 pandemic engenders an adverse impact, breeding members' inabilities to measure up to their duties. The inabilities are regretted as LKMS should have also been able to assist its members in sustaining as a form of social responsibility. The research aims to prove paradoxes in business and social performance. We applied a descriptive quantitative approach to a secondary data analysis of business and social performance reports during the COVID-19 pandemic until 2021. The research population covered 154 members of the Islamic cooperative parent, and the samples were 51 LKMS in the Islamic cooperative center. Conclusions were drawn from data analysis using stakeholder and stewardship theories. The results demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic incurred negative impacts, i.e., a decreased business performance of LKMS of 8.4% on average for two years. Meanwhile, another finding exhibited an increase in social performance by 27%. Based on the data, we could argue that a decrease in LKMS business performance bred an increase in social performance.

The intention of small and medium enterprises' owners to participate in waqf: the case of Malaysia and Indonesia

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to assess small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) owners' intentions to participate in waqf, involving two countries, which are Malaysia and Indonesia, using the theory of planned behavior. SMEs are the backbone of many economies, representing 95% of all companies worldwide and accounting for 60% of employment. Based on this fact, this paper analyzes the influence of religiosity, knowledge and attitude to predict the intentions of SMEs' owners in waqf participation in Malaysia and Indonesia.Design/methodology/approachData were randomly obtained from 175 SMEs owners from Malaysia and Indonesia with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) used for analysis.FindingsThe empirical analysis data suggest that knowledge and attitude show a significant impact on the intentions of SMEs' owners to participate in waqf, while religiosity does not have a significant impact on the intentions of Malaysian and Indonesian SMEs' owners to participate in waqf.Practical implicationsThis study aims to assist SMEs in Malaysia and Indonesia to formulate appropriate strategies and marketing using waqf for the sustainability of SMEs which represent more than 90% of business establishments in both countries. The strategy is a necessity, especially because the government is targeting to promote a sustainable Islamic financial system, improve governance policy and halal industry for SMEs, strengthen the development of Malay Reserve land, providing as financial independence to higher learning institutions and invest in digitalization and advanced technology through waqf funds. Therefore, both countries should take the initiative to provide training to equip SMEs with extensive knowledge through multiple platforms to further encourage their participation in waqf.Originality/valueBecause of the increasing interest in waqf participation both in Malaysia and Indonesia, this study claims three essential contributions. First, it aims to examine the intention of SMEs in waqf participation among the business owners in Malaysia and Indonesia. Second, the study findings are expected to benefit the development of literature in accordance with Islamic social finance, particularly waqf. Third, this study provides an insight into the inclusive knowledge and attitude of SME owners and their intention to participate in waqf.

Does Islamic banking reduce the risks of COVID-19 for SMEs? Novel evidence for SME financing in the pandemic period for an emerging market

This paper aims to examine the effect of COVID-19 on SME bank lending in the Islamic banking sector to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging market: Turkey. Understanding whether SME bank lending in the Islamic banking sector is procyclical or not is very important to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on SMEs. Interrupted time series analysis (ITSA), the Markov switching regression model, and vector autoregressive (VAR) methodologies are employed using novel weekly data for the pandemic period. The present study finds that the Islamic banking sector for SME financing has behaved countercyclically during COVID-19 in the Turkish economy. The paper thus sheds new light on the relationship between Islamic bank lending for SME financing and the COVID-19 shock in an important emerging market. The findings can provide insights into how Islamic banks mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on SMEs in an emerging market context. The present paper clearly shows differences between Islamic bank lending toward SMEs and deposit bank lending toward SMEs in the pandemic era. The willingness of Islamic banks to supply loans to SMEs during the pandemic plays a vital role in reducing SME firm failure in the Turkish economy. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd