In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The following is a question posed to Shaykh Aboo Anwar Saalim ibn ‘Abdillaah Baamihriz (may Allah bless and preserve him) [1]. This is just another example of how our well-known and reliable scholars and mashaayikh continue to offer sober and consistent advice about how Muslims are to return important matters related to the pandemic back to the scholars who are qualified to deal with matters of global safety and urgent concerns which affect the religion, health, and safety of millions of Muslims. May Allah allow this advice to reach receptive hearts.

The following is a transcript of the Arabic text of the question and its answer, along with an English translation:

هذا سائل يقول وهو يسأل من بلاد أوربا يقول عندنا بعض الإخوة السلفيين يخالفون فتوى العلماء في أخذ اللقاح لقاح كورونا ، معللين ذلك بأن هذا اللقاح ضار للانسان وله سلبيات كثيرة ولما نقول لهم إن العلماء أخذوا ونصحوا بأخذ اللقاح يقولون إن العلماء ليسوا بمتخصصين وعليهم ضغوطات من ولاة الأمر إلى آخره … وأكثر من ذلك أن بعضهم يستخرج شهادة التلقيح وهو في حقيقة الأمر لم يفعل. فهل هذا من الزور فما نصيحتكم لهؤلاء الشباب؟

QUESTION: A questioner from a European country asks: We have some Salafi brothers who oppose the verdict of the scholars about taking the vaccine against Corona[virus], explaining that this vaccine is harmful to people and it has many negative impacts. When we say to them: “The scholars have taken the vaccine and advise us to take it,” They say: “The scholars are not specialists, and they are under pressure from the rulers, etc.” Beyond this, some of them produce a vaccination record, but in reality he did not get it (i.e. he did not take the vaccine, as the record falsely indicates). Is this a kind of zoor (conspiracy of falsehood)? And what is your advice to those youth?

ANSWER by Shaykh Salim Bamehriz (may Allah preserve him):

أقول نصيحتنا  لهؤلاء الشباب بارك الله فيهم وهداهم الله تعالى أن لا يخوضوا في هذه المسائل التى هي ليست من شؤونه وإنما يخوضون في عبث وكلام لا جدوى منه إلا الإضرار بالمجتمع

I say: My advice to those youth, may Allah bless them, and may Allah, the Most High, guide them, is that they do not delve into these matters, things which are not for them. They are only getting into games and speech which has no benefit in it, just harm for the society.

أخذ اللقاح لقاح كورونا هذا أقول: أولا: أنه من الأسباب والأسباب هي التوكل على الله تعالى والتوكل على الله تعالى معناه صدق الاعتماد على الله تعالى مع فعل الأسباب إذاً أخذ اللقاح سواءً للكورونا أو غيرها إنما هو من الأسباب التى جاءت في الشرع النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام عندما جاءه الأعرابي ويريد أن يصلي ومعه الناقة قال أدعها وأدخل المسجد أصلي يعني متوكل على الله أم أعقلها قال اعقلها وتوكل على الله تعالى فبين له الأسباب فهذه من الأسباب

About taking the vaccine against Corona[virus], I say: Firstly, it is from the asbaab (known steps of protection). The steps are tawakkul, trusting in Allah, the Most High. The meaning of tawakkul in Allah, the Most High, is to genuinely rely upon Allah, the Most High, while taking the asbaab (known steps of protection). So vaccination, whether it is against Corona[virus] or anything else, is only something among the asbaab (known steps) which have come in the Islamic Legislation. When the Bedouin came to the Prophet, may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace, and he wanted to pray, yet he had a camel with him, he asked, “Should I just leave it and go into the masjid…” meaning: placing his trust in Allah, “or do I tie it down?” He said, “Tie it down and place your trust in Allah, the Most High.” [2] He clarified the steps taken for him, so these things are among the steps taken.

والعلماء عندما تكلموا في هذه المسألة تكلموا بعلم كيف يعني تقول ليسوا بعلم الله يهديك ويصلحك هذا اتهام لأهل العلم أهل العلم لا يتكلمون إلا بالنصح وبالأدلة فهم رأوا المسألة وناقشوها مع من هم أهل لها من المسؤولين في الدولة والدول الإسلامية وعرضوا المسألة وجدوا انها من الأسباب المشروعة ثم بعد ذلك أخذوا تطعيمات والحمد لله هم بخير وعافية وأيضا بينوا للناس أهمية ذلك وان هذا من الوقاية من المرض الذي فتك بكثير من الناس، فينبغي الإنسان أن يجل العلماء ولا يتهمهم.

When the scholars speak about this issue, they speak with knowledge. How can you say they do not have knowledge [about this topic]? May Allah guide and correct you! This is an accusation against the people of knowledge. The people of knowledge do not speak except with sincere advice and with evidences. So they have looked at the issue and discussed it with its [relevant] people among the responsible authorities in the country and other Islamic countries. They presented the issue [for input and consultation] and found that these things are from the legislated asbaab (steps of protection). Then, after that, they took the vaccinations, and all praise is due to Allah, they are fine and in good health. They also clarified to the people how important that [vaccination] is, and that it is from the ways protection is gained from the illness that has infected many people. So a person must respect the scholars and not [falsely] accuse them.

ثم قولك بارك الله فيك، أن العلماء عليهم ضغوطات من ولاة الأمر هذا الكلام فيه اتهام للعلماء واتهام لأولى الأمر ما يجوز بارك الله فيك أين الدليل على هذا؟ الحمد لله علماءنا ما عرفنا منهم إلا تصريح بالحق وهذا الامر مشتهر بين أهل العلم الثقات الذين يعني عاهدوا الله على أن يكون في هذا الموضع من الفتيا وهو موضع عظيم فإياك أخي بارك الله فيك أن تقع في أعراض العلماء وتتكلم فيه هذا من سبل اهل الضلال الذين يطعنون في علماء أهل السنة ثم قولك او قول هؤلاء الذين يقولون اللقاح هذا منه ضرر اين الضرر الذي منه اذكره لي؟ الأضرار التى ذكرت عن موت بعض الناس قليلة جدا وقال أهل الخبرة في ذلك أن هؤلاء ماتوا لأمراض عندهم وليس لهذا القاح فخلاف ما تظن أيها الشاب المتسرع في الأحكام فاترك هذا بارك الله فيك

Furthermore, your statement, may Allah bless you, that the scholars have pressure on them from the rulers, this speech includes [more] accusations against the scholars, along with accusations against the rulers. This is not permissible, may Allah bless you. Where is the evidence for this? All praise is due to Allah, we only know of our scholars that they speak frankly with the truth. This is something well known among the trustworthy people of knowledge, those who have given a covenant to Allah to be in a position giving verdicts. This is a serious position! So my brother, may Allah bless you, do not violate the honor of the scholars and speak badly of them. This is from the ways of the people of misguidance, those who accuse the scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah. Furthermore, your statement, or the statement of those who say that this vaccine contains harm, where is the harm which comes from it? Mention it to me! Harms that you mention, like the deaths of some people, are very few. The people of expertise say about those cases that they died of [other] illnesses they had, and the vaccination was not the cause of it. So it is the opposite of what you presume, O young man who is hasty in giving verdicts! Leave this alone, may Allah bless you!

ثم الذي ظهر من اللقاح والحمدلله جماهير الناس في دول الإسلام لقَّحوا والحمد لله لقَّح الكثير من كبار السن ونحن معهم أيضا ولم نرى من هذا إلا خيرا الحمد لله وقينا هذا المرض ولم نرى من هذا الشيء الذي يقال أنه خطر وغير ذلك ثم المصيبة العظيمة أن هؤلاء الشباب يعمدون أو يعمد منهم إلى استخراج شهادة تلقيح كذبا وافتراء أنه لقح وهو كذاب كذاب كذاب لم يلقح أليس هذا من التزوير الذي لا ينبغي أن يفعله المسلم ولا سيما من كان هدى وعلى السنة لا ينبغي هذا بارك الله فيكم تتهمون الناس باتهامات باطلة وتقعون في المنكر من الكذب والتلفيق والتزوير فاتقوا الله بارك الله فيكم دعوا هذه البلبلة من أراد أن يلقح يلقح ومن لم يرد فيصمت يسكت فلا داعى للتزوير ولا داعى للإفتراء على العلماء والكلام فيهم بارك الله فيكم وهداكم الله وفقنا وإياكم لكل خير

Furthermore, what is apparent about the vaccine, and all praise is due to Allah, is that masses of people in Islamic countries have been vaccinated. All praise is due to Allah, many old people, and we are among them, have taken the vaccine as well, and we have not seen anything but good come from it. All praise is due to Allah, we have been kept protected from the disease, and we have not seen anything of what is claimed to be dangerous effects or anything else. Additionally, the great travesty is that those youth, or some of them, go and get fake vaccination certificates, lies and fabrications, claiming that he was vaccinated, yet he is a liar, liar, liar! He did not get vaccinated. Is this not a form of fabrication which is not allowed for any Muslim to do, especially those upon guidance and Sunnah? This is not appropriate, may Allah bless you. You accuse people with false accusations, and you fall into the evil of lying, fabrication, and conspiracy! So fear Allah, may Allah bless you. Stop this disruptive behavior. Whoever wants to get vaccinated, gets vaccinated. Whoever does not want to get vaccinated, let him be silent, be quiet. There is no need to fabricate [documents]. There is no need to lie against the scholars and speak against them, may Allah bless you. May Allah guide you. May He give us and you success in attaining every good thing.

SOURCE: This recent recorded Q&A from the Shaykh:

Translation by: Moosaa Richardson

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FOOTNOTES:

[1] Shaykh Salim Bamehriz (may Allah preserve him), from Yemen, is from our elder mashaayikh, a student of some of this era’s great imams, like Shaykh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shinqeetee, Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, and Shaykh Rabee’. He has an account on Twitter (@saobamehriz) and conducts many regular classes which are now being made available on his emerging website (http://bamehriz.com).

[2] A hadeeth collected by al-Imaam at-Tirmithee (no. 2517) from the report of Anas. al-‘Allaamah Al-Albaanee graded it: hasan (sound, authentic).

FURTHER RESOURCES ON THE TOPIC OF COVID-19 REGULATIONS AND ISLAM:

Be Quiet and Leave Issues of Coronavirus Precautions for the Muslim Authorities and Scholars (Again!), Shaykh Arafat al-Muhammadi

The Return to Connected Rows (Without Gaps) at the Two Sacred Mosques in Makkah and al-Madeenah