The Sabah fatwa council has ruled that smoking shisha and electronic cigarettes, or vaping, is haram (prohibited) for Muslims in the state, as these are harmful to health.

Sabah mufti Bungsu Aziz Jaafar said the ruling was made at the council's special meeting to discuss the matter today.

Bungsu said the ruling was made based on Islamic principles and perspectives that prohibited the consumption of any substances which were harmful to the human body.

"Therefore, Muslims in Sabah are prohibited from smoking shisha, vape and e-cigarettes or being involved in any of its related activities, such as selling the products. Islam prohibits actions that are harmful to one's self," he told reporters after the conference in Kota Kinabalu.

Bungsu said the council would bring the ruling to the attention of the Sabah Islamic Religious Council (Muis) for further action and to decide whether the ruling would be gazetted or not.

"It is the state government's prerogative to gazette the ruling. Only after it has been gazetted that the implementation and enforcement can be carried out," he noted.

- Bernama