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Birmingham Mosque Hosts Mobile Vaccination Center

The mosque is first place of worship to set up vaccination vans on car park

A local mosque in Birmingham has become the first in the city to host a mobile vaccination center in its park, helping NHS staff to fulfill their mission.

“We are trying. There is not enough take up in BAME groups that there should’ve been and hopefully this will help,” Aurangzeb Khan, administrator of Masjid Esa Ibn Maryam on Etwall Road, told Birmingham Mail.

“We are providing the site, doing all the advertising and making all the announcements. We’ve got big WhatsApp groups and distribution links.

“This is somewhere we feel is more familiar for people and closer to them.”

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The idea of the mobile vaccination center in the mosque park followed meetings with other places of worship and Dr. Justin Varney, the director of public health from Birmingham City Council.

The van and NHS staff will serve all members of community regardless of faith.  “We are the first to have these mobile vaccination centers and it will be open to everybody of all faiths and non-faiths,” Khan said.

“We are fortunate that we have a big car park and people who do come will have parking.

“Everybody will be allocated a five minute slot. We have halls so if there is a delay, they can wait there and it is socially distant.

“The feedback we have had is fantastic. We have had comments from other faith groups saying this is a good idea.”

Vaccination In Islam

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) instructed Muslims to seek medical treatments: “Make use of medical treatment, for Allah has not created a disease without appointing a remedy for it.” (Abu Dawud)

Muslim leaders from across the country have been very vocal about the importance of trusting the vaccination program.

Birmingham’s landmark Green Lane Masjid and Community Center issued a statement last month to clear skepticism surrounding COVID vaccine and urge Muslims to seek medical advice.  

In January 2021, the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) okayed the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19 for Muslims.

In December, BIMA also approved Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Muslim communities, confirming that there are no animal products in this vaccine.