IS COVID-19 VACCINE HALAL?

by
Shaykh al-Hadith Hadhrat Maulana Abdul Raheem Saheb hafizahullah

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Some friends enquired about the COVID 19 vaccines and about a fatwa going around that they are haram.

I would say that these vaccines are not the first, and they won’t be the last. Vaccines are made as the need arises.

There are two ways to look at them: from the medical point of view, and from the shariah point of view. The medics will discuss the medical benefits and harms of vaccines.

We will discuss this from the shariah point of view. Our shariah allows taking precautions and searching for safe solutions.

The basis of this permissibility is the legality of Hijamah, cupping. There are instances where Rasulullah ﷺ did Hijamah for taking precaution. It is reported that it protects from headaches for one year.

If the vaccine is safe, effective and needed, then shariah will not prohibit it. For example, it may be necessary for key workers in the health profession, frequent travellers, and elderly people whose health would suffer severely if they were to contract the virus etc. These people could take it.

Medicines are administered on the assumption that the benefits outweigh the harms, meaning there is a higher probability of benefit in them, though they could occasionally harm. Injections are the same.

The text going around with regards to it being haram doesn’t seem right.

We don’t understand from where they got the details of the ingredients. The manufacturers have not yet given the details. How did the Mufti Saheb come to know of the contents?

I spoke to Mufti Tahir Saheb in Saharanpur regarding the mas’ala.

He mentioned 2 points:

1, The original ruling of something is being halal until a daleel of hurmat comes forth. Vaccines are originally halal until they are proven to be haram.

2, He also talked about tabdeel-e-maahiyyat, but I don’t want to go in to the details of that. The gist of it is that such vaccines go through an extensive process which totally changes the haqeeqat of the substance. Hence they cannot be termed as Haram.

Impurity also loses its form and nature when it is changed chemically to make active ingredients for a vaccine.

I would add further that the case of insulin is similar. Diabetics have to take them whereas some have unsuitable ingredients in them, but due to necessity, they would be allowed.

May Allah give us the correct understanding of deen and protect us from all ailments. Indeed He is the best Shaafi.

Wassalam

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