The Fatwa Ministerial Committee reaffirmed, today Sunday that “there is no connection between fasting and getting infected with the Coronavirus, as shown by scientific research, and therefore fasting is a duty for everyone who fulfills the conditions.”
In its twenty-eighth statement (28) issued in the context of answering the questions raised by citizens, especially those related to the rules for fasting with the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan and the continuation of the Corona pandemic, the committee confirmed what was established in its eleventh (11) communiqué issued prior to the month of Ramadan of last year, which stated that “there is no connection between fasting and getting infected with the Coronavirus, as shown by scientific research, and therefore fasting is obligatory for everyone who fulfills the conditions.”
The committee added that “abstaining from fasting is permissible for those who have legal excuses, including those who are unable to fast, such as the elderly and those suffering chronic diseases, while should a compensation, as well as patients for whom fasting causes considerable unusual hardship known from experience or medical expertise, such as patients infected with Coronavirus and patients who must take medicines during the day.
Regarding the use of protective vaccines against the Coronavirus of all kinds, the communiqué adds, “It does not break the fast because it is not nutritious, and it’s subject to the same rules of non-nutritious vaccines and syringes, and therefore it is permissible to use them during the day in Ramadan because they do not break the fast.”
And the use of nebulizers does not break the fast for patients with asthma and shortness of breath, based on legal evidence, including the principle of facilitation and relief of embarrassment, and this is the opinion chosen by the members of the Fatwa Ministerial Committee.
The same authority, along with the National Committee for the monitoring of the evolution of the Coronaviruspandemic, called for “the need to respect preventive measures in all sites and public spaces.”
The two parties also noted “the civilizational role of mosques, imams and volunteers in charge of them, as they were pioneers in working to apply preventive health measures, for the health and safety of all members of society, and seeking to overcome this pandemic and get rid of it in the shortest time.”
The committee mentioned “the importance of spiritual, faith and social preparation to welcome the holy month of Ramadan and to strengthen the bond with God and the abundance of supplication and forgiveness, valuing the characteristics of community cooperation to overcome the remnants of the pandemic crisis and to continue the solidarity and charitable gifts for which the Algerian society is known, especially during the month of Ramadan.”
The committee also warns – according to the same source – about “the necessity of adopting the virtue of rational spending and consumption, and calls for avoiding all manifestations of extravagance.”
The committee indicated that this communiqué comes following a meeting of its members with representatives of the Ministry of Health, Population and Hospital Reform and the National Committee for Monitoring of the Evolution of the Coronavirus pandemic at the Ministry’s headquarters, last Thursday, with the participation of secretaries of scientific councils in a number of provinces for the purpose of consulting about several issues related to the rules of fasting.
