Amid claims by some Muslim scholars that the Covid vaccine cannot be administered to members of the Muslim community as it contains ingredients considered “forbidden (illegal)” for consumption in Islam, The Jamaat-e-Islami (Hind) on Saturday tried to clarify the theological position, saying that a vaccine with illegal substances will be permissible in emergency situations to protect human lives in case no other vaccine containing legal substances is available.
Dr. Razi-ul-Islam Nadwi, Secretary of the JIH Sharia Council, said: “If an inadmissible substance is transformed into something completely different in terms of properties and characteristics, then it can be considered clean and permissible. On this basis, Islamic jurists have deemed it permissible to use gelatin derived from the body part of a haram (illegal) animal, ”he said. “Even those jurists who do not agree with the previous transformation rule sanction a vaccine that contains prohibited substances in case halal vaccines are not available, in extreme and emergency situations.”
However, he added that “the source of ingredients for the popular vaccines, which have been made public, is not yet known with certainty. Once you have full knowledge of it, more guidelines will be issued on its use or not. “
A section of Muslim scholars in India and Islamic organizations in countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia have stated that the vaccines cannot be given to Muslims because they contain pork jelly. In India, the All India Jamiat-ul-Ulema Sunni Council and Raza Academy in Mumbai declared them “haram” and called on Muslims not to use the pork jelly vaccine.
The Oxford vaccine uses the chimpanzee adenoviral vector, while Bharat Biotech uses the inactivated SARS-CoV-2. The Oxford ChAdOx1nCoV-19 vaccine is made from a weakened version of a common cold adenovirus that causes infection in chimpanzees, and researchers have genetically engineered the adenovirus by adding the genetic material from the spike glycoproteins found on the surface of SARS-CoV. -2 viruses. Spokesmen for Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have clarified that pork products are not part of their Covid-19 vaccines. But gelatin derived from pork has been used extensively as a stabilizer to ensure that vaccines remain safe and effective during storage and transport.
At the press conference, the organization also criticized the “dictatorial approach” of several BJP-ruled states on passing ordinances in the name of “illegal religious conversion” and “deliberate efforts to polarize society” by blaming the Tablighi. Jamaat for the spread of the coronavirus, the “planned” communal violence in Northeast Delhi and the “police attack” on Jamia Millia Islamia University and AMU students. “Jamaat feels that these laws are one of many ways to keep the flame of ‘anti-minority’ or Islamophobia alive. They are being enacted to strengthen the hate and polarization agenda, ”the organization said.
The team said each issue is being analyzed through the “communal prism” for political gain. He extended his support to protesting farmers saying he agreed with their “view that the new laws will end MSP’s support unless there is a legal guarantee of acquisition in MSP.”
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