A MUSLIM doctors’ leader has
provoked an outcry by urging British Muslims not
to vaccinate their children against diseases
such as measles, mumps and rubella because it is
“un-Islamic”.
Dr Abdul Majid Katme, head of the Islamic
Medical Association, is telling Muslims that
almost all vaccines contain products derived
from animal and human tissue, which make them
“haram”, or unlawful for Muslims to
take.
Islam permits only the consumption of
halal products, where the animal has had its
throat cut and bled to death while God’s name is
invoked.
Islam also forbids the
eating of any pig meat, which Katme says is
another reason why vaccines should be avoided,
as some contain or have been made using
pork-based gelatine.
His warning has been criticised by the
Department of Health and the British Medical
Association, who said Katme risked increasing
infections ranging from flu and measles to polio
and diphtheria in Muslim communities.
Katme, a psychiatrist who has worked in the
National Health Service for 15 years, wields
influence as the head of one of only two
national Islamic medical organisations as well
as being a member of the Muslim Council of
Britain. Moderate Muslims are concerned at the
potential impact because other Islamic doctors
will have to confirm vaccines are derived from
animal and human products.
There is already evidence of lower than
average vaccination rates in Muslim areas,
reducing the prospect of the “herd immunity”
needed to curb infectious diseases such as
measles, mumps and rubella.
Katme’s appeal
reflects a global movement by some hardline
Islamic leaders who are telling followers
torefuse vaccines from the West.
In Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and parts
of India, Muslims have refused to be immunised
against polio after being told that the vaccines
contain products that the West has deliberately
added to make the recipients infertile.
Katme said he was bringing the message to
Britain after analysing the products used for
the manufacture of the vaccines. He claimed that
Muslims must allow their children to develop
their own immune system naturally rather than
rely on vaccines.
He argued that leading “Islamically healthy
lives” would be enough to ward off illnesses and
diseases.
“You see, God created us perfect and with a
very strong defence system. If you breast-feed
your child for two years — as the Koran says —
and you eat Koranic food like olives and black
seed, and you do ablution each time you pray,
then you will have a strong defence system,” he
said.
“Many vaccines, especially those given to
children, are full of haram substances — human
parts, gelatine from pork, alcohol,
animal/monkey parts, all coming from the West
who do not have knowledge of halal or haram. It
is forbidden in Islam to have any of these haram
substances in our bodies.”
Katme singled out vaccines such as MMR as
ones to avoid, despite doctors saying that they
are essential to keep a baby healthy. Others
included those for diphtheria, tetanus,
acellular pertussis and meningitis.
Dr Shuja Shafi, a spokesman for the health
and medical committee of the Muslim Council of
Britain, said: “In terms of ingredients in
vaccines, there are so many things that are
probably haram, but in the absence of an
alternative we are allowed to take it for the
sake of our health.”
