Is high prices a calamity? What is the role of scholars and jurists in achieving social solidarity?

Dr. Mohammed Al-Saghir, Secretary-General of the International Organization for the Support of the Prophet of Islam, may God bless him and grant him peace, classifies the hardship and high prices suffered by Arab countries among the calamities that oblige scholars and jurists to issue fatwas to alleviate the suffering of Muslims.

The episode (2023/4/4) of the program "Sharia and Life in Ramadan" devoted its topic to the jurisprudence of calamities and tribulations, which the doctor considers part of the nature of life, which are tests and afflictions, and may be personal calamities or calamities in general such as Corona, earthquakes and the rest of the natural disasters.

And because the prices and high prices have become unprecedented, the Secretary-General of the International Organization for the Support of the Prophet of Islam calls on scholars and jurists to deal with this high prices through their role in issuing fatwas with the aim of alleviating the suffering of Muslims and achieving social solidarity, and for the Ummah to stand united in its solidarity, whether in the issue of high prices or in the earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria last February, recalling the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him): "Like the Muslims in their kindness, compassion and sympathy, like the body, if a member complains about it, the rest of the body falls to him with vigilance and fever."

As for the jurisprudence of calamities, the guest of the program "Sharia and Life in Ramadan" explains that he appeared with Islam, and that the first to issue a fatwa in it was the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and the matter continued with the honorable companions, especially with the Caliph Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may God be pleased with him, who appeared before him with his assumption of the caliphate coming down that needs to be resolved related to those who apostatized from paying zakat and the issue of collecting the Qur'an in the Qur'an.

While the Caliph Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, was the Mufti of calamities, and established the institution for dealing with adversity and calamities. For example, when he wanted to make the biggest decision on who comes after him, he made the issue a matter of consultation, and this confirms the importance of referring to the collective mind in the matter of calamities and tribulations that befall the nation.

Life is a place of testing and affliction

The Secretary-General of the International Organization for the Support of the Prophet of Islam says that the first major issues in the subject of calamities must be referred to the scientific and jurisprudential academies in which there are specialists and the opinion is in consultation, and it is the duty of jurists and scholars to direct governments to solve problems and issue statements that bind these governments.

On the other hand, Dr. Muhammad Al-Saghir considers that the descent of temptations and calamities extended even the most honorable and honorable people, including the prophets, may God be pleased with them, and the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, pointed out that by saying "the most afflicted people are the prophets", and whoever was in his religion the hardness of his increase in affliction, and man must realize that life is a house of testing and affliction, and God Almighty says in Surat Al-Balad: "We created man in a liver."

He stresses that calamities such as earthquakes and volcanoes affect Muslims and others, because the divine laws and cosmic laws are on all creation, it may be a hurricane in a non-Muslim country and be in a Muslim country, which is similar to the battle of fighting in which a friend and a heretic die.

As for calamities that are not in the spotlight, such as protracted disasters such as famine in Muslim countries in Africa and what happens to Rohingya Muslims, the doctor pointed out that this matter falls on the shoulders of Arab governments, explaining that charities - especially Gulf ones - used to fill the gaps by reaching distant places, but today they are fighting and some of them are closed.