ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars have reached consensus has declared vaccination against the novel coronavirus is ‘legal’ and ‘permissible’ under the Islamic shariah or jurisprudence.
In a press conference at the Muttahida Ulema Board’s office, prime minister’s aide on religious harmony, Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, announced a fatwa by one of the country’s top seminaries Dar-ul-Ifta Pakistan, which states that getting vaccinated against coronavirus was needed to prevent the ongoing pandemic.
Ashrafi added the fatwa was issued with the consent and consultation of ulema, muftis, and leading religious scholars of the Dar-ul-Ifta Pakistan. It asks the country’s philanthropists to use zakat to help provide the coronavirus vaccine to the needy.
According to the fatwa, it is every individual’s responsibility to administer vaccination against coronavirus since the Islamic law orders people to protect themselves and others from harm but refrains them from spreading rumours.
Leading religious institutions in the Islamic world including Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah and Saudi Arabia’s Majma al-Fiqh al-Islami (Muslim World League) have declared administering coronavirus vaccine as an obligation under shariah so that people could ensure their safety.
Ashrafi said the fatwa was issued after a series of meetings chaired by the Imam-e-Kaaba, Sheikh Salih bin Abdullah al Humaid, at the International Islamic Fiqh Council in Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, which operates under the auspices of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
He said leading scholars and leaders including Saudi Arabia’s Mufti-e-Azam Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas have been vaccinated.
Ashrafi said precautionary measures to prevent oneself against the novel coronavirus should be fully observed and that precautionary measures, as well as standard operating procedures, for mosques should be heeded.
In response to a question, the prime minister’s aide said there was no proposal under consideration to close mosques during or before the holy month of Ramazan. He said mosques in the country were open even when others around the world were closed due to the pandemic.
He he said the supply of vaccines for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims would be ensured as per the instructions of the Saudi Arabian government. He said the prime minister has instructed that all precautionary measures should be fully implemented and vaccines will be provided for pilgrims if arrangements were made for Hajj this year.
