Kuala Lumpur: Smoking e-cigarettes and vaping has been declared 'haram' for Muslims in Malaysia, the country's national fatwa council has announced.

The council after a special meeting decided to issue fatwa declaring e-cigarettes and vaping 'haram' -- forbidden for Muslims.

Islamic Sharia Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin said that based on scientific studies, they have found that vaping does not benefit users.

"The council finds that the consumption of something that is harmful, whether direct or indirectly, purposely or not, could lead to harm or death; so this will not be allowed," he told reporters here.

Shukor noted that vaping could be considered as something that was distasteful in Islam and could be harmful to the users.

"From the Shariah perspective, Muslims cannot consume something that is harmful to their health or indulge in things that are wasteful," he said.

He said authorities had the power to ban the use of vape and electronic cigarettes if they had an impact on public health.

E-cigarettes, which provide a nicotine hit without the cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco, are already banned for Muslims in four Malaysian states, as well as several other Muslim countries, including Kuwait and the UAE.