Muslim clerics in a Sunni Muslim ulema meeting in Mumbai yesterday (23 December) decided that a Chinese Covid-19 vaccine which contains pork gelatin is Haraam (forbidden) for Muslims, India Today has reported.

"There are reports of a Chinese vaccine with parts of pig’s body. As pig is Haram for Muslims, a vaccine containing its body parts cannot be allowed. Even if a hair of a pig falls in a well, water from that well is forbidden for Muslims. Hence, as per Islamic law, a vaccine which contains pig’s gelatin cannot act as a treatment against any disease", Raza Academy’s Secretary-General Saeed Noorie has been quoted as saying.

Incidentally this development comes after UAE's highest Islamic authority, the UAE Fatwa Council, has ruled that coronavirus vaccines are permissible for Muslims even if they contain pork gelatin.

"Coronavirus vaccination is classified under preventive medicines for individuals, as recommended by the Islamic faith, particularly in times of pandemic diseases when the healthy happen to be prone to infections due to the high risk of contracting the disease, therefore posing risk to the entire society," the UAE Council said.

The Fatwa Council added that even though the vaccine in question contains non-halal ingredients banned by Islam, it's permissible to use it in implementation of the Islamic rule that permits the use of such products in case there are no alternatives.