12
HALAL
Brought to you by
The Health Xtra | MARCH-APRIL-MAY, 2020
Mandatory
to seek treatment
Muslim view:
A trial, to face
with patience
and reflection
A matter of concern during this pandemic
is the ability to perform obligatory rituals
Halal
Medication?
Islamic teaching
as outlined in the
Maqasid syariah,
does prioritise
Obligatory
rituals: Rukhsah
for healthcare
workers and
patients
Your role?
Stay home
and
keep clean
Dr Norsidah Ku Zaifah,
Associate Professor of
Pharmacology from the
International Islamic
University Malaysia.
The general
public needs to
practice a high
level of precaution
when coming
to information
related to
the so-called
traditional (halal)
or alternative
treatment
available in the
net as many of
them have not
undergone proper
scientific study.”
— Dr Norsidah
O
N MARCH 11, 2020 the World Health Organisation
declared Covid-19 a pandemic, sweeping across
the globe, disrupting the social and economic life
of humankind, regardless of their age, gender,
religion, race or social hierarchy.
In the absence of a vaccine and direct cures to
combat this virus, social distancing measures were
encouraged to slow the transmissions and to ease
the burden on healthcare institutions.
With regards to understanding the pandemic and the treat-
ments available, Dr Norsidah Ku Zaifah, Associate Professor
of Pharmacology from the International Islamic University
Malaysia, shed some light on the proper reaction in the per-
spective of Islamic teaching and healthcare.
“The Islamic view towards medical treatment generally falls
into fi ve categories,” Dr Norsidah shared.
They are:
• Permissible if there is no certainty that it is of
benefi t, such as the treatment of cancer, primarily if it has
spread.
• Recommended, if the use of medicine is most likely to be
benefi cial, whether to reduce the symptoms or heal the
disease.
• Obligatory to use the medicine if the treatment is curative.
• It is makruh to use doubtful medical treatments when the
permissible ones are available.
• The last is haram to use medical treatment when there is no
need to do so.
In the medical context, the principle of halal generally
means the same — things or practices that are permitted,
allowed or lawful as opposed to haram.
“As for seeking treatment for Covid-19, it may fall within the
second and third category, as for some categories of patients,
the disease can be fatal without appropriate management and
treatment,” Dr Norsidah explained.
Muslims must seek treatment when affl icted with illness,
and so in the case with Covid-19. The management of Covid-19
involves the screening, collection of sample and treatment of
patients based on the severity of the disease.
According to Dr Norsidah, there is no proven effective
medication for Covid-19 at the moment. However, the drug
Avigan or Favipiravir, has been proposed as a potential treat-
ment for Covid-19 infl icted patients. The antiviral infl uenza
drug, approved for clinical use in Japan in 2014, has shown good
clinical effi cacy against Covid-19.
“It is a pyrazine analogue that is shown to exert potent anti-
viral activity against a broad spectrum of viruses in multiple in
vivodisease models. The chemical used is not from an animal;
thus, there is no restriction in term of its usage for Muslims,”
said Dr Norsidah.
There is no restriction concerning the medical equipment
used for the management of patients, as it is the same equip-
ment used for patients of other illness as well.
As vaccines are being researched for Covid-19, Dr Norsidah
asserts that while halal certifi cation is essential, it is not urgent
in this current situation.
“The general guideline is as the Maqasid Syariah outlines,
whereby any lawful health practices that help preserve life are
allowed, thus would include successfully developed vaccines,”
she added.
Non-halal medications are allowed if there is a need for it and
no permissible alternative that can treat the illness is available.
Nonetheless, it is legally obligated (fardkifayah) for Muslims
to do research that can facilitate Muslims to adhere to Islamic
teachings.
Another matter of concern during this pandemic, is the
ability to perform obligatory rituals. Dr Norsidah notes that