There seems to be a lot of controversy about the dispensation of Polio vaccine in Pakistan. This scheme started somewhere in the early 90’ and even then there was a rumor that it would spread infertility, as if that would affect Pakistan too much! But now the trend of killing the innocent, underpaid volunteers seems to be an inhuman act. According to report 49 Muftis of ‘Ahle Sunnat-wal-Jamat’ have given fatwa that Polio vaccination is not un-Islamic. It is sincerely hoped that these fatwas would do the necessary damage control for the ignorant who have been misled in so many matters in the name of Islam, waylaid by the crafty clerics and Muftis into believing that the Polio vaccine contains ‘haraam’ ingredients and/or more comically ingredients that induce impotency.
Incidentally what is more important is to authenticate these Mufti’s and the fatwas they give, from where are such abundant numbers of Muftis emerging, to regulate our lives? Are they graduates from some well known ‘Mufti Degree Awarding Institution(s)’ or are they just prefixing the title to their names by themselves? Isn’t there a possibility of conflicting fatwas on the same some issue in the presence of hundreds of such Muftis around? And, then who is their Mufti-e-Azam, whose verdict would be taken as the final and the ultimate one? Surely, their numbers can be reduced to an appropriate single digit for better, harmonious and unanimous interpretation of any doubts pertaining to the religion and the religious matters. It will also do away with the issuance of the fatwas like the one against the Polio vaccination.
COL RIAZ JAFRI (R),
Rawalpindi, December 21.