Taking A Cue From Malaysian Fatwa, South African Muslim Body Bans Botox

An influential South African Muslim lawmaking body has banned the use of Botox, a protein injection used to iron out wrinkles.

The Cape Town-based Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) has prohibited Muslims in the country from using Botox to improve their image after recent reports that revealed the jabs contained forbidden substances and were derived from pig’s milk.

Botulinum Toxin Type A — commercially known as Botox — is widely used as a cosmetic to produce a wrinkle- free appearance.

The ban follows a ruling two years ago by the National Fatwa Council in Malaysia, whose chairman, Shukor Husin, warned that Muslims who ignored the decree were committing a sin.

The head of the MJC fatwa committee in SA, Moulana Yusuf Karaan, this week condemned the use of Botox, saying medicinal substances obtained from pig extracts and haraam (forbidden) animals could be used only if there was no suitable alternative or in an emergency.

“Using something for acquiring a form of cosmetic advancement or beauty treatment cannot be said to be a matter of emergency or great necessity. It is for this reason that the use of Botox is prohibited for Muslims, and we agree with the decree issued by the National Fatwa Council in Malaysia,” said Karaan.

Janet Kettels, a spokesman for Allergan, which manufactures the product, said the injections were manufactured in the same plant in Ireland and the final version of the product did not contain any pig-derived enzymes.

“The manufacturing process includes growing of bacterium using a culture containing an enzyme derived from pig’s milk. A specialised purification process removes the pig-derived enzyme and produces a purified medical protein called Botulinum toxin, which is an active ingredient in Botox,” said Kettels.

She said the process was overseen by international regulatory authorities, including the Food and Drug Administration in the United States, European Medicines Agency and South African regulatory authorities.

But Karaan said the jabs were still not permissible for use by Muslims, regardless of the various changes the product underwent.

The imam of the Raza Mosque in Phoenix, Moulana Rafeek Shah, welcomed the ban, saying that if Botox contained substances that were fobidden , it should be prohibited.

“A Muslim is permitted to use a prohibited substance only when it is the only option available for the sake of protecting life. Such procedures would not be permitted for the sake of beauty,” said Shah. (Subashni Naidoo, The Times, South Africa)
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