KUALA LUMPUR – The use of the Covid-19 vaccine is in line with Islamic law as a means to prevent diseases as well as to protect others from harm.
A research officer in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Fahmi Rusli said the vaccination is necessary for high-risk groups that have been identified by the government, including frontliners and the elderly.
“The Covid-19 vaccine is similar to the administration of vaccines to babies to prevent the spread of diseases such as polio,” he said when appearing as guest in the Tanya Jakim segment titled What's With the Covid-19 Vaccine, which was live-streamed on the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) Facebook page today.
Fahmi said Islam promotes disease prevention according to a hadith from Prophet Muhammad, which states: “He who eats seven ajwa dates every morning will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them.”
He said Islam encourages its followers to prevent diseases or seek early treatment before a disease is spread to others, adding that refusing to take the Covid-19 vaccine can cause a person to infect others, which is contrary to Islamic teachings.
Earlier, Bernama reported that the Special Muzakarah Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs had agreed that the use of Covid-19 vaccine is compulsory for groups identified by the government and permissible for others.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri was quoted as saying that the ruling had been communicated to the Conference of Rulers.
Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin when announcing the Malaysian Economic and Rakyat’s Protection Assistance Package (Permai) yesterday said the government expects to receive the first batch of vaccines by the end of February with the first group to be vaccinated by early March.
The Covid-19 vaccination programme will run in stages over a 12-month period and almost 27 million people, or over 80% of the population, are expected to receive the vaccine by the first quarter of next year. – Bernama, January 19, 2021
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