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UAE: 'You may be committing a sin by not taking Covid vaccine'

Abu Dhabi - Top UAE official says 78% mosque staff, including Imams, have received the vaccine.

Residents who are eligible to receive the Covid-19 vaccine, but choose not to, risk committing a sin, a top official has said.

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Dr. Omar Habtoor Dheeb Al Darei, a member of the UAE Fatwa Council, explained that such residents might spread the disease to others and cause them harm. “This, despite the fact that they had the ability to prevent the spread of the disease (by taking the vaccine) or its effects.”

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He also noted that taking the Covid-19 jab while fasting is permissible and does not invalidate or break one’s fast.

Over 7,550 Imams and other mosque workers in the UAE have been vaccinated against Covid-19, another official said. This is more than 78 per cent of the mosque staff.

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Dr Muhammad Matar Al Kaabi, Chairman of the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowments (Awqaf), said the authority aims to create a safe environment for worshippers so they can offer prayers without worrying about Covid-19.

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“Since the beginning of the pandemic, Awqaf has been adhering to all the precautionary measures put in place by the competent authorities in the country to prevent the spread of the virus,” he said. “We have been coordinating with the National Emergency Crisis and Disasters Management Authority (NCEMA) in doing everything possible to ensure the safety and health of worshipers, including the continuous sterilisation of all mosques since they gradually re-opened.”