In Front Of Jokowi, The East Java Indonesian Ulema Council Claims The AstraZeneca Vaccine Is Halal, It Differs From What The Central Indonesian Ulema Council Claims

Chairman of the East Java Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Hasan Mutawakkil (Photo: Youtube @Youtube Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the East Java Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Hasan Mutawakkil said that the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is halal to use. This differs from the central MUI fatwa which stipulates that AstraZeneca is haram, although it can be used.

Hasan said this during the implementation of mass vaccination at the Wibawa Delta Hall, Sidoarjo Regency. This vaccination was reviewed by President Joko Widodo.

"The President immediately listened to the opinions and responses of the ulema, and Islamic boarding school caregivers, that the AstraZeneca vaccine is halal", Hasan said in a YouTube broadcast of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, March 22.

According to Hasan, the AstraZeneca vaccine should be used in the national vaccination program. Because this vaccine has a goal to maintain health safety.

"No government will harm its own people", he said

Therefore, Hasan said the MUI would issue a fatwa on the halal use of AstraZeneca, in accordance with the audit results of the Institute for the Study of Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics (LPPOM) and the Fatwa Commission deliberation.

"The MUI in accordance with the results of the LPPOM audit and also the results of the Fatwa Commission deliberation, today will provide a fatwa on the halal use of AstraZeneca and the safety of its use", he said.

Previously, the Chairperson of the MUI Fatwa Commission Asrorun Niam Sholeh said that his party allowed the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in national vaccination. Although legally the vaccine from England is not allowed because it contains pork trypsin.

The MUI allows the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in the national vaccination program, even though the composition of the British vaccine contains pork which is forbidden by Muslims.

"The legal provisions are that the first vaccine AstraZeneca products are haram because the production stages use trypsin from pigs", said Asrorun.