BARMM religious leader issues fatwa to urge people to get vaccinated during Ramadan

GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines – The highest-ranking Muslim religious leader recognized in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) by the regional government issued a fatwa to make more Muslims there get COVID-19 vaccinations during Ramadan.

BARMM Islamic Grand Mufti Abuhuraira Udasan issued the fatwa or Religious Guideline No. 32 on Monday, April 18, to tell Muslims in the autonomous region that they should get inoculated even while they are fasting because of Ramadan.

It would not be against Islam to get vaccinated during Ramadan, Udasan said.

Udasan issued the fatwa even as BARMM health workers ramped up the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the region, that has yet to see 70% of its population fully inoculated.

BARMM officials aim to hit the 70% target and bring the region to herd immunity status by June.

Udasan, who serves as executive director of the BARMM’s Darul Ifta or Islamic council, said, “Vaccination is a life-saving (move) and does not invalidate the fasting when taken during Ramadan.”

He said the COVID-19 vaccines were tested, proven to be effective, and life-saving, and so “this is allowed.”

The Muslim fasting month of Ramadan began on April 3 and will end on May 2.

The fatwa also provides that the gathering of Muslims in places of worship after prayers should be used as an opportune time to get vaccinated.

Health workers in the region noted that there was a decrease in the number of residents getting inoculated at the onset of Ramadan.

Until Udasan’s fatwa, many residents believed that getting vaccinated during the fasting month was a religious prohibition.

Dr. Zul Qarnayen Abas, acting BARMM health minister, said they stepped up the campaign to thwart a possible surge in COVID-19 cases.

BARMM’s vaccination rate is still at a 27.5% low or 960,089 fully vaccinated people across the region, said Saida Diocolano-Ali, MOH information officer.

The regional government has so far listed 1,006,192 partially vaccinated people throughout the BARMM.

“We cannot beat COVID-19 all by ourselves in the department. It has to be a multi-stakeholder approach with everyone employing their unique roles in influencing the public to get vaccinated,” Abas said.

Diocolano-Ali said they need to inoculate 340,000 more to achieve population immunity.

As this developed, the BARMM Ministry of Health set more dates for inoculations next month.

The special vaccination rollouts are set in the following areas and the corresponding days in May: