Anum Essa
IN Islam’s very core, the protection of life is a divine ordinance.
The Qur’an instructs us: “And whoever saves one life, it is as if he had saved all of humanity” (Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5:32). Pakistan stands at a historic crossroads, where the elimination of poliovirus has become a national imperative to protect our children and safeguard future generations. Islam attaches great significance to safeguarding health and averting harm. This is why polio vaccination is not only permissible but recommended by Islamic scholars around the globe. In Pakistan, prominent Ulema and scholars of all major sects have released fatwas announcing the vaccine as halal, calling upon parents to vaccinate their kids.
In addition, pilgrims undertaking Hajj and Umrah are vaccinated with polio as a requirement. Millions of Muslims from all over the world, even Pakistan, get polio drops annually on their way into Saudi Arabia, a strong vote of confidence from the Custodians of the Two Holy Places that these vaccines are acceptable and safe according to Shariah. Pakistan is the only country with wild poliovirus apart from Afghanistan. Yet, other Muslim-majority including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Egypt and Bangladesh, have successfully eliminated polio through mass immunization campaigns and community engagement. Their success stories confirm a simple fact: religion and science can be harmoniously combined to save our children.
Even in the face of overwhelming scientific proof and Islamic endorsement, myths linger: accusations of infertility, toxic ingredients or Muslim conspiracies. Such rumors challenge reason as well as religion. Pakistan’s Councils of Ulema, working together with the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, have time and again explained that guarding children against disease is a religious obligation. Refusing vaccination endangers others, especially the most vulnerable and stands in direct contrast to Islamic principles of community care.
Polio vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect children from lifelong disability and ensure a healthier future. Across the country, dedicated immunizers are working tirelessly to ensure every child under five receives this life-saving protection. Each vaccinated child represents a future preserved, a dream safeguarded and a prayer answered. The Pakistan Paediatric Association (PPA) and leading health experts strongly endorse the safety and effectiveness of the polio vaccine, stressing that repeated vaccination campaigns are essential due to ongoing virus circulation. Multiple doses boost children’s immunity and provide the strongest protection against polio.
Parents are therefore urged to cooperate with frontline workers by opening their doors and ensuring every child is vaccinated in each campaign. Alongside polio drops, completing routine immunization is equally vital to protect children from 12 other preventable diseases and secure a healthier future. Our doctors, Ulema, vaccinators and local leaders are one: every child who isn’t vaccinated is an entry point for the virus. To close it, we must all play our role.
As Muslims, parents and citizens, it is our duty to trust the evidence, heed the guidance of our scholars and ensure that no child remains unprotected. Polio eradication is not merely a health initiative but an Islamic obligation rooted in compassion, knowledge and shared responsibility. By uniting for this cause, Pakistan too can join the Muslim world in being polio-free—securing the health of our children, honouring our faith and safeguarding our future.
