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There seems to be some confusion regarding the permissibility of the flu vaccine which contains porcine gelatin.

QUESTION

There seems to be some confusion regarding the permissibility of the flu vaccine which contains porcine gelatin. It has been claimed that Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani also considers porcine gelatin to be halal due to the chemical change found during it's manufacturer which makes it a new and permissible substance as per the attached ruling. Please clarify the ruling and if this is really the view of the Shaykh.

ANSWER

الجواب حامداً و مصلياً                                            

Regarding the question mentioned, it should be clear that porcine gelatin only undergoes an insignificant chemical change during its manufacture, which accordingly does not render it a new substance and is therefore impermissible to consume.

There have been a number of papers written and presented in this regard over the years which detail the impermissibility of porcine gelatin from both the Shariah and scientific perspectives. The one attached is in Arabic and was previously presented at the European Fiqh Council in 2013 held in Sarajevo: Arabic ruling on porcine gelatin

Indeed the view of Shaykh Mufti Taqi Usmani is not as mentioned in the question, rather, the Shaykh regards porcine gelatin to be impermissible as per the signed and stamped fatwa attached here: Urdu Fatwa on Porcine Gelatin and confirmed again recently in his Arabic book published in 2015 on Fiqh al-Buyu' volume 1 page 306.

However, in case of a genuine medical need, such gelatin may be consumed in a prescribed medicinal product in the absence of a suitable alternative.

And Allah knows best

Answered by FCB Fatwa Department