Answered by Shaykh Mazhar Mahmood
Question:
Is the following text, “Speak to a leper whilst there is a distance of one spear or two spears in between the both of you.” about social distancing, that is making the rounds amidst COVID-19 an authentic ḥadīth?
Answer:
In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Jazāk Allāh Khayr/ Thank you for contacting Mathābah with your query. We commend your curiosity in seeking authentic sources for establishing faith practices.
The text that you are referencing is apparently reported is as follows:
كَلِّمِ المجذومَ وبينَكَ وبينَهُ قيدَ رمْحٍ أوْ رمحينِ
“Speak to a leper whilst there is a distance of one spear or two spears in between the both of you.” – (See: Al-Kāmil Fī-Dhūʿafā Al-Rijāl: 1854)
This ḥadith is reported by ʿAbd Allāh bin Abī Awfā (may God be pleased with him) and consists of a chain that has a series of problematic narrators.
This narration has Ḥasan bin ‘Omārah who is deemed to be matrūk (abandoned and unacceptable as reliable by ḥadīth standards). Yaḥyā bin Maʿīn says, “His reported ḥadīths should not even be documented.”
Imām Muslim says, “He is matrūk [abandoned].” Imām Aḥmad echoed the same sentiments. – (See: Tārīkh Baghdād)
The narrators of this alleged ḥadīth also consists of Mu‘āwiyyah bin Hishām. Imām Aḥmad declared him a problematic person as a narrator by stating that he abundantly erred in reporting ḥadīth. Yaḥyā bin Ma‘īn said, “He is righteous, albeit void of much substance [to report ḥadīth].” Uthmān bin Abī Shaybah said, “He is sound, but not to extents of being embraced as an evidence.” There are other scholars who have endorsed him to be sound. – (See: Tahdhīb al Tahdhīb)
In brief, this ḥadīth is weak and cannot be utilized to establish jurisdictions and Islāmic rulings.
One should be careful and cautious when circulating or mass forwarding reports of this nature. To reference the above report to COVID-19 and ascribing it as an authentic statement of the Prophet Muḥammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is not responsible nor accurate.
There are a number of authentic reports that speak on the topic of taking precautions to avoid personal and collective harm. Those are the prophetic narrations that one should opt for in addition to the advice of medical experts, to contain the spread of the virus.
Allāh Almighty Knows Best
