HARAAM PORK IN MEASLES VACCINE-PARENTS BEWARE!
A concerned brother writes:
Assalamua Alaikum respected Mufti
I am a pharmacist by profession and would like to seek your verdict on the following.
The government is planning a massive measles immunisation drive in June 2017 where 650000 children will be immunised against measles.
Upon inspecting the package insert of this vaccine it is found to contain the active ingredient which is live measles vaccine plus preservatives plus gelatin in situ.
I called the manufacturer of the product and spoke to the production office and Linda from 10 confirmed with me that the source of the Gelatin used for their product is of Pig origin (Porcine).
Kindly advise whether Muslim parents should consent to have their children immunised with this product for the upcoming campaign.
Answer:
The fact that consumption of pork is prohibited in Islam is well known. The Holy Quran unambiguously prohibits the consumption of pork in many verses. It is not permissible to use intoxicants and other nauseating haraam substances in medical treatments. This has been unanimously agreed upon by all Fuqahaa and is also based upon numerous sound Ahaadeeth.
It is reported that Taariq ibn Suwayd al-Ju’fee Radiallahu anhu asked Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam about intoxicants, and he forbade him from using them. Taariq Radiallahu anhu added, “But I only use them as medical treatments.” He responded: إنه ليس بدواء ولكنه داء “It is not a treatment, however it is a disease (itself).” – Ahmad and Muslim – This hadeeth profoundly states that a “disease in itself” is not a treatment. A vaccination is exactly that, “A disease in itself!”
On the authority of Abu Dardaa’ Radhiallahu anhu, the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: إن الله أنزل الدواء وأنزل الداء وجعل لكل داء دواء، فتداووا ولا تتداووا بحرام “Verily Allah has sent down illnesses, and He has sent down the cures. He has made (available) a cure for every illness, so take medical treatments, but do not treat illness with haraam (substances).” – Abu Dawood
Abu Hurairah Radiallahu anhu said, “The Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam forbade the use of filthy substances as medical treatments.” – Ahmad, Ibn Maajah, Tirmidhi
On the authority of ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ibn ‘Uthmaan: Once a doctor mentioned a certain medical treatment in the presence of the Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, and he mentioned that a frog was used as part of it. Rasoolullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam then forbade the killing of frogs. – Ahmad, Abu Dawood, Nasaa’i
‘Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood Radhiallahu anhu said about intoxication, “For sure, Allaah has not made your cure to be found in anything that He has forbidden you from.” – Bukhaari
These texts and other similar ones are explicit in their prohibitive wordings against using Haraam impure prohibited substances as medical treatments. Thus such a type of measles vaccine is categorically Haraam to administer to any innocent Muslim child or anyone else for that matter.
