Leaders from Bradford’s Muslim, Christian, Sikh, and Hindu communities have joined hands in a new campaign to encourage people to take the COVID-19 vaccines.

The campaign organized by Volunteering Interfaith Program (VIP) is very significant, with some groups raising questions over the ethics of vaccination.

“The vaccine has been widely cheered as marking the beginning of the end of the pandemic. With vaccines on the horizon, faith leaders could play a crucial role in promoting their use,” Dr. Javed Bashir, VIP founder, told The Telegraph & Argus.

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“Faith communities can also play an important role, in relation to their members’ well-being, and also to wider society.

“There is no doubt about COVID-19’s severity. The vaccine is the only way to end it.”

VIP members include members from different faith communities, including Mohammed Zubair, a teacher and administrator at Masjid Quba in Manningham.

“Refusing to get vaccinated is endangering oneself and others. Therefore, we urge British Muslims to get vaccinated,” he said.

“A recent statement from the British Islamic Medical Association said there are no animal products in the vaccine and it does not contain any human embryonic cells, therefore confirming that Muslims are eligible for the jab, and should take up the offer.”

Earlier this week, the British Islamic Medical Association (BIMA) confirmed that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for COVID-19 is accepted for Muslims.

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

On another level, scholars from some of the most influential Islamic seminaries in the UK have also issued fatwa saying that the new Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is halal.