Would a Zionist coronavirus cure be Halal? Iranian cleric says yes

In a recent ruling, an Iranian cleric decided that Muslims would be able to use a cure for coronavirus even if one is created by Israelis.

Iranian women wear protective masks to prevent contracting coronavirus, as they walk in the street in Tehran, Iran February 25, 2020. (photo credit: NAZANIN TABATABAEE/WANA VIA REUTERS)
Iranian women wear protective masks to prevent contracting coronavirus, as they walk in the street in Tehran, Iran February 25, 2020.
(photo credit: NAZANIN TABATABAEE/WANA VIA REUTERS)

The coronavirus epidemic is changing lives in many societies around the world. According to Yiftach Curiel from the Foreign Ministry’s digital division, even the Islamic Republic of Iran might change its usual attitude regarding Zionists and accept a cure for the virus, should one be found by Israel.  

Israeli scientists have, in fact, been actively taking part in the global efforts to find a cure for the pandemic, meaning the question may not be hypothetical.

Under Islamic law, some things are haram (forbidden) and some are halal (kosher). These concepts are often used in everyday speech to discuss the morality of certain actions.  

The tweet was slammed by Iranian users who argued that the Israeli needs to "brush up on his Farsi." Another user said he would prefer to cope with the virus than take the Israeli cure should one exist.

 

One user even predicted that coronavirus will eventually reach 70% of all Israelis.  

Israel does maintain a Farsi digital Twitter channel and Iranian users tend to use it to argue about Israeli policies. 

Iran is actually seen by many Western scholars of Islam as a progressive Islamic society in some aspects. For example, it approves of organ donations and even the voluntary selling of organs to its citizens. 

It also approves sex change operations while publicly hanging gay men, often forcing men to change their sex in order to avoid execution.