VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 17 - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin vouched for the safety of COVID-19 vaccination for people on fast and deems it unnecessary to forego fasting as long as the vaccine recipients were in good physical condition.

"The MUI (Indonesian Ulama Council) fatwa (edict) has been issued. Vaccination in the month of Ramadan does not invalidate fasting," Vice President Amin remarked after receiving the second dose of COVID-19 vaccination in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Amin, concurrently the MUI Advisory Council chairman, elucidated that vaccines do not enter the human body through the openings of the ears, nostrils, and mouth, so it did not invalidate the fasting of Muslims.

"That is because (the vaccine) does not enter through the openings in the body. What invalidates fasting is what enters through the nostrils, mouth, and ears. Since this vaccine is not injected through those holes, it does not invalidate fasting," he expounded.

Head of the MUI Fatwa Division Asrorun Niam Sholeh noted in Jakarta on Tuesday (Mar 16) that the MUI Fatwa Commission had reached a decision at a plenary meeting that COVID-19 vaccination during Ramadan did not invalidate fasting.

"The government can offer COVID-19 vaccination during the month of Ramadan to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 by paying attention to the condition of Muslims, who are fasting," Sholeh remarked.

The MUI also recommends that the COVID-19 vaccine be injected at night or after breaking the fast since candidates for receiving the vaccination are physically weak on account of fasting.

"Vaccination can be conducted at night during the month of Ramadan for Muslims, who fast during the day (if) it is feared that it will cause harm due to their weak physical condition," he stated. (Antaranews)