Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
There is nothing wrong if Muslims use the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine based on the information provided to us by the Pfizer company.
Answering this question, the Deobandi scholars Yusuf Shabbir, Mufti Shabbir Ahmad of Darul Uloom Blackburn, Mufti Muhammad Tahir of Darul Uloom Bury and NHS consultant Mawlana Kallingal Riyad state:
Is Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine halal?
The Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is halal and Muslims can use it based on the information available to us.
The UK Government has confirmed that the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine does not contain any components of animal origin.
The Government’s website states:
“The Medicines and Healthcare products Agency can confirm that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine does not contain any components of animal origin.” (Regulatory approval of Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19, accessed on 4 December 2020).
We contacted the Pfizer company requesting a breakdown of the ingredients which they shared with us. These are also available on this link.
Initially, the only ingredient of concern was cholesterol, because it can be sourced from animal fat although it is normally sourced from the eggs of hens. The aforementioned statement from the Government confirms that it is not sourced from animal fat, therefore it is halal. The company has also confirmed this in an email to us which states,
“All lipid excipients used in COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2 are either from plant-derived sources or are synthetic. The vaccine contains no animal components.”
Specific ruling
This ruling is specific to the Pfizer BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine based on its current ingredients. It does not necessarily extend to other forthcoming vaccines.
This ruling is regarding the Islamic permissibility of the vaccine. The decision to use the vaccine is a personal decision for each individual to make. It is recommended that individuals read the patient information leaflet to understand the benefits and risks and also discuss with medical professionals should they require further information.
Almighty Allah knows best.
Source: Islamic Portal