Epidemics and Contagions

	Epidemics such as plague, that is, the disease that hits sheep; it will seize you... (Mukhtasar Tazkirah al-Qurtubi, p. 417, no. 761)

	"O Awf ibn Malik! Shall I recite you six signs preceding Doomsday?" I [Awf ibn Malik] said: "What are they, o Resullulah?" He [The Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace)] said: "Two fatal diseases, such as cholera and anthrax, will spread among you." (Sahih Bukhari)

	Two fatal diseases will spread among you, such as the Ikasu'l-Ganem [a fatal and epidemic animal disease]. (Jami` al-Ushul, vol. 10, p. 412)

Throughout history, epidemics have always raged among people. However, compared to the ones in the past, today's epidemics spread much faster. Moreover, those that used to affect only a certain part of the world now can spread to many countries simultaneously.

This aside, in our day, new and unknown epidemics appear. Within the last 20-30 years, we have had to deal with AIDS, SARS, Ebola, and Mad Cow, which have become great threats.

(1) 100 Million People Have AIDS (Ortadogu, October 17, 2002) (2) SARS is worse than War (Tercuman, April 12, 2003) (3) 167 people died of SARS (Haberturk, April 19, 2003) (4) In Berlin, Every year 100 People Die of AIDS (Sok, October 22, 2002) (6) Never such a trouble was seen before! (Gunes, April 29, 2003) (5) Every 5 seconds a person gets AIDS! (Gunes, November 27, 2002)

In 2002-03, the following news items appeared regarding dangerous diseases:

The Death Toll of Malaria in Ethiopia: 4,200

Local authorities stated that the epidemic became the leading cause of death between May and August, killing 4,200. (27.06.2003 www.ntvmsnbc.com)

AIDS Death Toll May Reach 70 Million

Researches warned that AIDS will kill 70 million people in the year 2020. (27.06.2003 www.ntvmsnbc.com)

The Chronological Progress of SARS

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) persists in being fearsome, despite the news that it is under control in some countries and has slowed down in others. (29.04.2003 www.ntvmsnbc.com)

Increase in the Number of Sudden Deaths
Epidemics in Iran

Thirty percent of the cattle are infected by a fatal virus in Iran. The public has been warned about an epidemic known as "Crimean and Congolese Fever." According to IRNA, Muhammed Mehdi Guya, chairman of the Disease Management Center of the Ministry of Health, said that in one year, 20 out of 140 people who are infected by the disease have died. (25.05.2002, www.hurriyetim.com.tr)

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