Answered by Shaykh Yūsuf Badāt
Question:
There is some debate going on about whether it is permissible to get the Covid-19 vaccine while fasting. Some people say it will break your fast while others say it won’t. Could you please provide some detail on how Islam guides us regarding getting vaccinated while fasting.
Answer:
In the Name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind
Thank you/ Jazāk Allāh Khayr for contacting Mathābah with your query.
Having a non-nutritional injection administered in the body while fasting will not break the fast. Hence, it is permissible to take the COVID-19 vaccination while in the state of fasting for Ramaḍān or otherwise. – (See: Dur Al-Mukhtār, Al-Sirāj Al-Wahhāj, Al-Fatāwā Al-Hindīyyah, Fatāwā Maḥmūdīyyah, Imdād Al-Fatāwā, Aḥsan Al-Fatāwa, Fatāwā Dār Al-Ulūm Zakariyya)
It is also worthy to note that the ritual fast is usually broken by entering a substance in the internal mind, such as inhaling cigarette smoke or the stomach cavity, such as food or medicine; or sexual activity, such as ejaculation through masturbation or intercourse.
Muftī Raḍa Al-Ḥaq (may God preserve him) writes, “That which breaks the fasts are those things that enter into the internal brain and or the stomach cavity through any of the main body openings such as the mouth, nose, anus, front private organ etc. Those matters that enter the body through pores or veins do not invalidate the fast.” – (See: Fatāwā Dār Al-Ulūm Zakariyya)
“Anything entering from the pores do not break the ritual fast, such as when one takes a bath with cold water [, water enters from pores].” – (Al-Hidāyah)
Ibn Abbās and Ikramah (may God be please with them) have stated, “The fast is invalidated by what enters the internal stomach cavity.” (Bukhārī)
“Have sexual relations with the wives …, and eat and drink until the white thread [light] of dawn appears [to commence the fasting].” – (Qurʿān 2:187)
And Allāh Knows Best