Question:
Are flu vaccinations permissible? I have heard they contain porcine gelatine?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
In principle, it is not permissible to use medication with harām contents unless the two following conditions are present:
1)    A reliable Muslim doctor advises the use of the medication.
2)    There are no other halāl alternatives.
If a reliable Muslim doctor advises against the use of a particular medication or there are other halāl alternatives, it is not permissible thereafter to make use of the harām medication.[1]
With regards to the flu vaccine, after speaking to a number of doctors, they have confirmed that the nasal spray flu vaccine offered to children in the UK does contain porcine gelatine.
One must consult a reliable Muslim doctor to establish whether it is an absolute necessity to take the flu vaccine and if there are other alternatives available.
And Allah Ta’ālā Knows Best
Mufti Faraz Adam al-Mahmudi,
www.darulfiqh.com