Tuntunan Tarjih tentang Vaksinasi untuk Pencegahan COVID-19

Islam mengajarkan sejumlah nilai hidup di antaranya dapat disebutkan dua macam, yaitupertama, nilai hidup sebagai insan mukmin yang kuat, sebagaimana dapat disarikan dari firman Allah dan hadis Nabi saw

*Sesungguhnya sebaik-baik orang untuk engkau pekerjakan adalah orang yang kuat dan jujur (terpercaya) [Q.S. 28: 26].*

Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (s.a.w) as saying: A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart,” … … … [Sahih Muslim].

To achieve a value of life as a physically and spiritually strong believer and to be more lovable by Allah, we are obliged to make efforts such as improving fitness as well as physical and spiritual health, maintaining health and cleanliness of our body and environment, evading sources of disease, and seeking treatment when getting sick.

Second, the second life value among essential life values in Islam is health as mentioned on hadith:

*Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: “Health and free time are two blessings from Allah, but many people incur loss” [ad-Darimi, validated by Husain Salim Asad].*

The hadith affirms that health and sufficient leisure time are important life values because they are blessings from Allah. It also reminds people not to be deceived into losing because they are careless to maintain and utilize the favors.

On the other hand, we and people in the world are confronting the widely spread uncontrollable COVID-19 pandemic. It can be discerned from (1) the increasing number of confirmed COVID-19-postive cases, (2) the number of deaths because of the COVID-19, and (3) government’s policy on Large-scale Social Restrictions (PSBB) and Public Activity Restriction Enforcement (PPKM) in Java-Bali on 11-25 January 2021. Meanwhile, the bed occupancy rates for COVID-19 patients are limited; indeed, the rates in some hospitals have reached saturation and cannot take care of COVID-19 patients.

To tackle this continuing COVID-19 emergency whose curve has not dropped yet, it is vital to take immediate actions. In addition to implementation of health protocols (washing hands, wearing a mask, and keeping distance) and 3T (testing, tracing, and treatment), vaccination is an effort to end and cope with the COVID-19 transmission.

Thus, it is necessary for Majlis of Tarjih and Tajdid of Muhammadiyah to provide guidance by deliberating previous fatwas, namely: 1) Worship Guidance on the COVID-19 Emergency (An Attachment to Circular Letter of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Number 02/EDR/I.0/E/2020 on 29 Rajab AH/24 March 2020 CE); 2) Guidance on Eid Al-Fitr Prayer in the Covid-19 Pandemic Emergency (An Attachment to Circular Letter of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Number 04/EDR/I.0/E/2020 on 21 Ramadan 1441 AH/14 May 2020 CE); 3) Worship Guidance (Continuation) on the COVID-19 Emergency (An Attachment to Circular Letter of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Number 05/I.0 /E/2020 on 12 Shawwal 1441 AH/04 June 2020 CE); 4) Guidance on Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah, Eid Al-Adha and Sacrifice in the Covid-19 Pandemic (Attachment 1 to Circular Letter of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Number 06/EDR/I.0/E/2020 on 03 Dhu al-Qa’dah 1441 AH/24 June 2020 CE); 5) Enhancing Vigilance, Caution, and Efforts of COVID-19 Prevention and Transmission Control (Attachment 1 to Circular Letter of the Central Board of Muhammadiyah Number 08/I.0/F/2020 on 24 al-Muharram 1442 H/12 September 2020 CE), and results of a meeting with the Muhammadiyah COVID-19 Command Center (MCCC) on Tuesday, 23 Jumada al-Ula 1442 AH/112 January 2021 CE, stating that:

Maintaining health is an obligation as a part of an effort. It is in accordance with hadith:

Usamah bin Sharik said: “Some Bedouins asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) shall we treat (our ill)?’ He said: ‘Yes, O worshipers of Allah! Use remedies. For indeed Allah did not make a disease but He made a cure for it’ – or – ‘a remedy.’” … … … [at-Tirmizi, and according to his belief that this hadith is sahih].

*Narrated Abu al-Darda: The Prophet saw said: Allah has sent down both the disease and the cure, and He has appointed a cure for every disease, so treat yourselves medically, but use nothing unlawful.* [al Tabarani].

Vaccination denotes a means of preserving health, preventing and reducing risks of the spread of the COVID-19 by individuals or community so that it creates herd immunity.

This emergency requires better attempts to end the condition by hastening the vaccination and optimizing the vaccine coverage. It is in line with a fiqh principle,

In addition to the prevention, reduction of the transmission risks and elimination of the emergency, the vaccination is addressed to maintain regeneration. Hence, the significance of the vaccination can be discerned from a principle of human dignity (al-karamah al insaniyyah). It is in accordance with surah Al-Ma’idah (5) verse 32:

… whoever takes a life—unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land—it will be as if they killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity …

A fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Number 02 of 2021 on COVID-19 Vaccine Products issued on 11 January 2021 mentions: (1) COVID-19 vaccines produced by Sinovac Life Co. ltd China and PT Bio Farma (Persero) are pure and halal; and (2) COVID-19 vaccines produced by Sinovac Life Co. ltd China and PT Bio Farma (Persero) are permitted to be used by Muslims as long as credible and competent experts can insure the vaccine safety.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Control of the Republic of Indonesia (BPOM RI), on 11 January 2021, officially issued the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a Sinovac vaccine.
The vaccination should go hand in hand with implementation of health protocols (washing hands, wearing a mask, and keeping distance) and 3T (testing, tracing and treatment).

The guidance of Tarjih on Vaccination for COVID-19 Prevention may become a reference for Muhammadiyah people and public. The fatwa may raise public awareness to have the vaccination as an effort to prevent and alleviate risks of the COVID-19 transmission. The awareness of the importance of vaccine and implementation of health protocols should exist concurrently.