Why we asked Muslims to avoid sanitisers – Imams

A Muslim group, League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, has clarified its position on the use of alcohol-based sanitisers by Muslims as the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement issued by spokesman for the league and Mudir Markaz (Arabic and Islamic College, Agege, Lagos), the league said its stand that Muslims should use detergents rather than alcohol-based sanitisers, was informed by the fact that the 60 per cent to 70 per cent alcohol content in the sanitiser which could kill the virus is above the permissible per centage agreed by most Islamic scholars for non-consumable alcoholic content.



The agreed percentage of non-consumable cannot be more than three per cent.

The group, also known as Rabita, said the fact that alcohol-based sanitisers could kill some useful cells and bacteria in the body made detergent a better option.

It added that it was forbidden by Allah for anyone to take advantage of unusual times to arbitrarily increase prices of goods and services.

The league said, “Muslims must, therefore, desist from increasing prices of goods and commodities to cause additional inconveniences to the society.

“What is needed at this time is giving and helping others in distress, including pleading with Allah for forgiveness.”