Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim
Part of human living challenges is ailment or sickness. Common in Sahel and Equitorial and Tropical belt and most interland is Malaria. As a big umbrella covering series of health issues which often causes disposition impossible and not only hinders most human activities but also responsible for most mortality. As human, being healthy is worthy of celebration and is instrumental to varieties of human achievements, for which Allah (SWT) is fervently revered. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon the noble Messenger Muhammad (SAW) and the entire deserving followers of his guidance till the Day of Reckoning.
Malaria attracts World policies whereby lots of Governments become enlisted to galvanize 'possible solutions' to ravaging ailments. It affects virtually every sector economically, politically, religiously and socially and, it plays to the gallery on the relativity of natural death on human circle. Every 25th of April is dedicated to the scourge for rather awareness creation on its pathological effects on human existence. Malaria implants greatly more on some human segments than it does in others. In December 2024, Global report of 2023 estimated 263 million Malaria cases and 597,000 death through the scourge in 83 countries. World Health Organization (WHO) carries high share of the Global Malaria burden (WHO Report 2024).
In 2023 alone, it was placed on record that 94 percent of 246 million of Malaria Cases and 95 percent (569,000) of the total mortality were traceable to Malaria. Children under 5 accounted for about 76 percent of all Malaria death in the mentioned regions (WHO Report).
Going memory lane, most African countries went through written history of foreign Voyagers as Colonial Adventurists in the name of discovery and explorations. History placed on record that most of the Explorers experienced terminal ailment linking to and from Malaria parasite. Plasmodium often results from mosquito bite which is customary to Tropical area. Too much stress, over-exposure to thermal condition, lack of enough sleep, un-hygenic intakes, ill-body care and of course haram feed constitute main causes of Malaria.
Prevention of Malaria as a scourge involves maximum use of mosquito net while sleeping. Use of repellants after dusk, use of coils and vaporizers, wearing of protective clothing and use of window screens as instrumental to safety from Malaria.
World-over, it is cited that Malaria is symptomatic to fever, headache and chills. Others include extreme tiredness, impaired consciousness, multiple convulsion, difficulty in breathing, dark or blood urine, jaundice (yellow eyes and skin) and abnormal bleeding. Causes of Malaria (https//www.who.int).
However, Allah (SWT) declares in the Glorious Qur'an: 'And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah, and make not your own hands contribute to (your) destruction; but do good; for Allah loves those who do good.' It is in the same token of safe-health that Allah corroborates the earlier Ayah that: 'O you who believe! eat of the good things that We have provided for you. And be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship.' The dual Qur'an provisions are self-explanatory. So, Islamic prescriptions include but not limited to safety measures to be taken in all circumstances and at all time.
Meanwhile, if Malaria may be ranked in position to pandemic, this Prophetic provision must suffice. It says: 'Run away from pandemic the same way or more than the way you are to run from lion,' (Hadith provisions) on prevention of scourges like COVID, HIV AIDS and the likes serves the purposes of nation's collaborations and financial and human support for a common fight.
From the above analysis, it is evident that Malaria constitutes a dread to human existence and no effort is too much to extinguish its parasite. Several collaborations at the international levels result in AID and SUPPORT in favour of most developing countries to stamp out annihilating scourges like Malaria among others appears i the right direction. Such efforts like setting aside every 25th day of April is in tandem with Awareness creation and propaganda making across the Globe. It also serves as putting Experts and Technocrats to tasks on taking vantage positions to demonstrate expertise in combating Malaria. Huge amounts of funds are deplored to training and procurements of materials useful for the exercise from the pull of resources from various allied nations in solidarity for the communities and nations affected.
As Believers, taking to the Allah and Prophet's prescriptions on feeding from halal and observing the golden rules of hygiene takes paramount importance in addition to preventive measures enunciated above. This nonetheless, the manner at which men and women are dressed nudity calls for attention for parents who weld authority at the micro units of the society. Right-thinking people in the society appear nonplus regarding the intricacies of social causes of Malaria via unnecessary exposing the body to mosquito in the name of beauty.
Drawing curtains on this topic, human environment must remain perpetually safe from various preventable ailments thereby engender longevity of life and total reduction in mortality rate is globally advised as a parting short on this edition. Till we meet again in the next edition, thanks for always being there. Happy International Malaria Day Celebration.
*International Malaria Day
*Islamic Views on Safety
*Caution against Malaria Parasite.
DR. RAZAQ BOLAWAYE UTHMAN, IMAM & MISSIONER ANSAR-UD-DEEN SOCIETY OF NIGERIA, IPAJA BRANCH LAGOS STATE NIGERIA. © 2025
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