Pork Among Ingredients? Muslim Clerics Raise Concern Over Vaccine

New Delhi: A Muslim cleric from UP’s Darul Uloom Deoband has raised concerns over the presence of pork gelatin in the COVID-19 vaccine. He has, like some others in Muslim countries, have advised to wait for fatwa before getting a shot.

The cleric noted that whether the ingredients of the vaccine are allowed in Islam or not is to be verified by the head of the Fatwa department.

This comes after reports of gelatin derived from pork being used as a stabilizer to keep vaccines safe and effective during storage and transportation.

Raza Academy’s Secretary-General Saeed Noorie asked the Narendra Modi government not to order China-made vaccine, claiming it contains gelatin.

However, Lucknow Eidgah Imam Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali has asked Muslims to take the vaccine and not to be influenced by rumours.

“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,” Times Now quoted Noorie as saying.

Earlier, the United Arab Emirates’ Fatwa Council allowed COVID-19 vaccines for Muslims even if they contain pork gelatin, saying that there are no alternatives and the vaccines would not be subject to Islamic restrictions on pork due to higher need to “protect the human body”.

The UAE is giving the Chinese vaccine free to all its citizens and residents. Morocco also has planned to start mass immunization.

Also Read: Vaccine Roll-Out: Govt To Conduct Dry Run In 4 States Next Week