موقع الشيخ عبد الحق التركماني - The Cooperating of Islamic Centres with the health authorities in organising vaccination against Coronavirus

/ 19 مارس 2024

للتواصل 00447432020200

The Cooperating of Islamic Centres with the health authorities in organising vaccination against Coronavirus

/ 22 مارس 2021

السؤال :

The Question:

Some of the Islamic Centres in Britain are permitting the NHS to utilise some of the halls or spaces of the centre in organising the vaccination of the residents against Coronavirus. Due to this, discussions and differing is occurring between the committee of the centre and the general attendees with regards to the correct position in this matter, particularly with the doubts surrounding the safety of the vaccine, its usefulness, its results and its effectiveness. So what is the religious advice regarding this matter?

الجواب :

The answer:

All praise belongs to Allāh, The Lord of the Worlds, and may peace and blessing be upon the seal of the prophets and messengers.

To proceed:

In regards to this issue, it is obligatory to differentiate; between affirmed facts and doubts and suspicions; between knowledge based on certainty or overwhelming presumptions achieved through our senses, evidence-based studies and trials, and between mere personal opinions.

Firstly

We have come to know of the existence of this virus through reports, sense, observation and experience; and that serious illness occurs because of it. We know in a direct and personal way that hundreds of relatives, friends, acquaintances, and known people have been infected by this germ; and subsequently became critically ill with a large number of them passing away. Hence, everyone who has witnessed or heard of what those afflicted suffered from and the debilitating symptoms that manifested on them, whether they died or recovered, will know with certainty that this epidemic is not similar to the seasonal influenza, not in its strength, its symptoms or its harms and risks.

Thus this degree of established reality, and concrete fact; he who refutes it or debates about it, with doubts or suspicions is afflicted with psychiatric or mental disturbances and he needs care and treatment.

Secondly:

Taking vaccination against this disease, is an upright matter legally (Islamic), intellectually and proven experimentally. International corporations hastened to manufacture more than one type of vaccine. This occurred in countries with differing intellectual, political and social systems, from China to Russia, Britain, the European Union and USA. Thousands of experienced researchers worked on these trials and amongst them are a large number of Muslims from different countries and nationalities. The health ministries of most of the countries of the world have also relied on these vaccinations after the approval of the vaccinations by its experts and advisors. These experts are made up of hundreds of specialists, who specialise in this matter and are trusted for their specialism and professionalism. The very least that can be derived from all of this combined, is that there is a strong overwhelming presumption of the importance in taking the vaccination, reinforcing its usefulness, benefits and its safety from harm and risk. Also, the sound mind dictates that it is not possible that such a large number of people become complicit in lies, fraud and deceit. This knowledge or strong overwhelming presumption isn’t tarnished by the disagreement of some of the specialists in medicine or epidemics due to the consensus of the rest. This is because, these are a few individuals who - in number - do not exceed 1% of their counterparts.

This is in agreement with the Usool of the Shari’a that the people of knowledge and understanding are aware of. Ibn Qayyim, may Allāh have mercy upon him, said in «الطرق الحكمية» : “ The Shari’a does not refute truth, belie evidence or invalidate clear signs. Allāh ﷻ has commanded us to verify and clarify the statement of the Faasiq (the evil doer) and hasn’t commanded us to reject it in totality because the statement of the disbeliever and evil doer might be reinforced with honest evidence, hence accepting it and acting upon it becomes obligatory. The prophet ﷺ hired a guide who was a polytheist - upon the religion of his people - for his migration journey. Even though this was the case, the prophet  ﷺ still trusted him and paid him his wage. Hence, it's not allowed for a ruler to reject the truth after it has been clarified and the evidence in support of the statements of an individual has become apparent”.

It might be that the hearts of some of the people are not reassured by the likes of this, they are thus free to avoid taking the vaccine and it is within their right to express their opinion, but without transgressing on the others with doubts and accusations or propagating conspiracy theories. Especially if he is ignorant of the medical and pharmaceutical sciences, diseases and epidemics. His statement is then the speech of one who is engaging in that which he has no knowledge of. He falls under the general meaning of the statement of Allāh ﷻ: 

{وَلَا تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولَئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْئُولًا}.

And follow not (say not) that of which you have no knowledge. Verily! The hearing, and the sight, and the heart, of each of those one will be questioned (by Allāh). (Al-Israa: 36)

This is why we have seen that the people of knowledge and understanding - in the religion - (The Scholars), have left the matter regarding this crisis to the people of specialism and therefore have not challenged the health safety measures, nor have they prohibited the taking of the vaccination or spread false accusations and gossip increasing anxiety and distress in the people.

Thus, if this is understood, then what some of the Islamic centres are doing in cooperating with the health authorities in facilitating vaccination for the population; has no legal prohibition, is beneficial for the Muslims, and is an acceptable issue based upon reason and reality. All of this has been established through knowledge based on certainty or strong overwhelming presumption. As for the one who has a different opinion, then within his right is to avoid this matter. However, he has no right to falsely accuse his brothers and spread mischief and division between the Muslims and their Mosques and Islamic Centres.

And by Allāh ﷻ is al-Tawfīq (Divine Guidance).

Shaykh Abd Al-Haqq At-Turkmani

Leicester, Saturday 7th of Ash-Sha’ban 1442H / 20th of March 2021