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Clerics join hands to dispel fear, will urge followers to get shots
The move to push for vaccination was endorsed by Shia leaders.
Cutting across ideological lines, Muslim clerics in Uttar Pradesh have come together to bust misinformation and myths surrounding the Covid-19 vaccination process and motivate people to opt for inoculation.
The religious leaders have also decided to publicise a common message during the traditional Friday prayers that vaccination is the only way to fight the virus, which has claimed roughly 160,000 lives in India.
“In Islam, nothing is bigger than saving us and the family from a disease. Hence it’s a humble appeal to our Muslim brethren not to fall prey to any myths about Covid vaccine and to come forward for the vaccination. This is the only way we can check the spread of virus,” said Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, senior member of All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) and Imam of the Eidgah masjid in Lucknow.
The Sunni cleric said he will make an announcement to motivate people for the vaccination during the ‘namaz’ on Friday and address ‘Khutba-e-Juma’ (a sermon by the cleric after Friday prayers) to make people understand the importance of vaccine.
The crucial appeal comes at a time India is firmly under the grip of the second wave of the pandemic. Infections have spiked across the country with experts saying that picking up the pace of vaccination was the best way to counter the rampaging disease.
On Thursday, India opened up its vaccination drive to all people above 45. The previous two phases of the drive –the first was aimed at frontline workers and the second at those above 60, or above 45 with comorbidities – were dogged by slow rollout, teething problems, vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. India is home to roughly 175 million Muslims, who form about 14% of the country’s population.
The move to push for vaccination was endorsed by Shia leaders.
Prominent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad Naqvi termed vaccination a moral responsibility, saying all Muslims should get themselves inoculated. “I think this is the best possible way we can help the administration in containing the coronavirus. We should come forward for the vaccination,” said Jawad. He also said that he will be addressing all vaccine-related queries with the gathering during the Friday prayers at Asafi mosque, Bada Imambada in Lucknow.
Shia cleric Maulana Yasoob Abbas, who is also general secretary of All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), said he launched a drive to motivate eligible people to come forward for vaccination. “It is our duty to get ourselves vaccinated. All Indians should get it done. I am creating awareness on the issue in all my religious meetings and making an appeal to the people to get themselves vaccinated,” he said.
At the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom of Deoband, clerics advised people to shun misconceptions about the vaccine and said the jabs were a must to check the spread of infection. “Don’t buy any kind of misleading talk about the vaccine because vaccination is the only solution to get protection against Covid-19,” said Maulana Mufti Abul Kasum Nomani, mohtmim (vice-chancellor) of the famous seminary.
Some Muslim religious leaders who took the shot said that they will offer their own example to prove to the people that vaccination was safe.
Nomani, 74, and Maulana Abdul Khaliq Madrasi, 70, nayab mohatmim (deputy vice-chancellor) said both of them took the vaccine shots at a primary health centre in Deoband on March 15. “We are alright and appeal to the people to go for vaccination,” they said in a joint appeal.
Another cleric, Maulana Badrul Hasan of Kandhla in Shamli district, admitted that there were some misconceptions among ordinary Muslim people about the Covid vaccine. He said the appeal of Darul Uloom will have a positive impact on people. “I also want to get vaccinated,” said Hasan, 51.
