BARMM Grand Mufti Abuhuraira A. Udasan (Screen grab from MOH-BARMM)
COTABATO CITY – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Grand Mufti Abuhuraira A. Udasan said Wednesday being inoculated against coronavirus disease (Covid-19) does not invalidate one’s performance of fasting during Ramadan.
“When it comes to the vaccine on Covid-19, it does not nullify your fast,” Udasan said in a video advisory on Covid-19 by the Ministry of Health (MOH)-BARMM.
To support this, Udasan enumerated what nullifies fasting. “Intentional eating and drinking can break your fast,” he said.
He, however, added: “If you forgot you were fasting and ate accidentally, it does not nullify your fast, proceed to fast accordingly.”
He said another nullification of fast is having sexual contact with the spouse or any form of sexual activity.
“However, it is permissible to hug and kiss between husband and wife as long there is no sexual discharge,” he said.
The third abatement is intentional vomiting, but if it was not intended, then, it does not nullify fasting.
The fourth is the intention or plan to break one’s fast. This, the Mufti said, can nullify fasting, because of one’s “intention.”
“Another nullification of fasting is if you are apostate in Islam because fasting of non-Muslims is not accepted,” Udasan said.
Apostasy is an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith.
Udasan said, intravenous sugar solution or dextrose can nullify the fast “because it’s not just a vaccine or injection but changes your strength, it replaces your food intake.”
He issued the statement after some Moro groups raised questions about whether getting Covid shots would nullify one’s fasting.
The fasting month started on April 13 and is set to end on either May 11 or 12 depending on the sighting of the next new moon. (PNA)
