“Sooar ki charbi haram hai”: Islamic organisations issue fatwa against coronavirus vaccines from China

Sunni Muslim scholars from Raza Academy, Mumbai, and All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama have issued a fatwa against the Chinese vaccine that contains pork gelatin. Saeed Noorie, Raza Academy’s Secretary-General, said in a statement that the Indian government should not order a Chinese vaccine that allegedly contains pork gelatin. He said, “For any vaccine which has been ordered or made in India, the government should show us the list of content so that we can make announcements regarding the use of the vaccine.”

https://twitter.com/CNNnews18/status/1341940584483700736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

The Raza Academy scholars claim that the pork gelatin component of the vaccine makes it “haram” for the Muslim community. Some reports have claimed that the Chinese vaccine contains the said component that has stirred controversy in the Muslim community worldwide.

BJP lashed out at the Muslim body

The objection against the vaccine raised by Muslim scholars is facing a backlash. BJP leader and national spokesperson Sambit Patra has asked in a tweet if someone can explain to him what is Halal Vaccine.

https://twitter.com/sambitswaraj/status/1341937927702642689?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Patra, who has served as Medical Officer at Hindu Rao Hospital before shifting his career to politics, said, “While the world over even the Islamic Nations have accepted the COVID Vaccine ..it’s disgustingly how some in India are trying to spread canards & create a situation of Panic even before the vaccinations start!!”

Several Muslim countries and scholars are okay with the vaccine, including UAE

Amidst the rumour of pork being used to make the Chinese vaccine, several Muslim scholars from India and abroad have okayed the use of vaccine irrespective of the ingredients. Notably, Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah, who heads the UAE Fatwa Council, the highest Islamic authority in the country, said that vaccine would serve the greater cause of protecting the human body and it will not be subject to Islam’s ban on pork-derived products.

According to Associated Press, spokesperson for Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca have said that pork products are not part of their COVID-19 vaccines. However, reports suggest that pork-derived gelatin was used in the pharmaceutical companies’ vaccine as a stabilizer. It helps in keeping the vaccine safe and effective during transport and storage.