Thursday, June 25, 2015

Ridiculous fatwas which have nothing to do with Islam

LOCAL VIEWPOINT


Abdulaziz Al-Sammari
Al-Jazeera
 

A large number of fatwas (religious edits) have been issued of late. The majority of them have nothing to do with Islam. They are instead expressing the psychological mood of a certain society at a given time or place. Many of these fatwas are of a political or social nature. They also  reflect the cultural and geographical situation of a society and its norms and traditions.

I have deep reservations about all of these fatwas which have no connection to our religion in any way. For instance, in Egypt, a recent fatwa was issued allowing husbands to run for their lives if they fear that they might be killed defending their wives. In Islam a man is considered to be a martyr if he is killed while defending his honor or that of his wife. However, this fatwa says the husband may run for his life if he believes that the attackers wishing to rape his wife may turn against him.

Another Egyptian fatwa says a husband can divorce his wife by means of a text message or a telephone call. There is another fatwa giving the army and the police the right to kill political opponents.

In Saudi Arabia there is a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from traveling to Western countries. Another fatwa says it is against Islam to travel to Dubai. Other Saudi fatwas prohibit women from working, prevent women from marrying their drivers and declare that it is against Islam to exchange gifts of red roses on Valentine’s Day.

There are also alleged fatwas in the Kingdom permitting employees to bribe their superiors in order to get promotions.

In Iraq a fatwa was issued asking people to fight for Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Before this an Iraqi fatwa asked Iraqis to kill  American soldiers.

In Syria, a fatwa called all Syrians to support President Assad in his war against his own people. Another fatwa gave people permission to eat dog and cat meat in case of a famine. In Lebanon there is a fatwa permitting the killing of Syrian refugees who have sought refuge in the country. A fatwa in Jordan says Muslims from outside Arab and Muslim countries can visit Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

In Morocco, a fatwa was issued permitting pregnant women who have a craving for alcohol to drink it without any reservations. In the same country, another fatwa permitted close contact between men and women in crowded buses during the fasting month of Ramadan. The fatwa says that a man may have an orgasm while touching a woman in the bus without breaking his fasting.

A fatwa in Libya says it is “halal” to kill the supporters of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In Yemen a recent fatwa said sleeping in the Square of Change during the revolution is similar to spending the night in Mina and Muzdalifah during the Haj.

These are some of the fatwas which I have recently read in newspapers. They are all false and have nothing to do with Islam. They were issued for political or social reasons. Islam is a great religion and has nothing to do with these trivialities.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Video: Filipina hairdresser in Saudi turns out to be man

Only women allowed to work female saloons in Saudi Arabia


Published Sunday, April 19, 2015

Saudi police arrested a Filipino disguised as a female hairdresser at a women’s saloon in the conservative Gulf Kingdom.

A YouTube film published in the Saudi Arabic language daily 'Sada 'showed the Filipino wore a wig, make up and women’s dress at the saloon in the capital Riyadh.

The paper said the film was circulated on local social media networks, but that it could not be verified.

Only women are allowed to work at female saloons in Saudi Arabia in line with laws banning gender mixing in public places.


Restaurant shut over gender-mixing


Saudi Arabia’s influential religious police shut a restaurant in the conservative Gulf kingdom for massive violations including allowing gender-mixing.

Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, backed by other police men and municipality inspectors, raided the restaurant in the western Red Sea port of Jeddah and ordered it shut indefinitely.

“Sources said they shut the restaurant after it was found to be violating local laws, including allowing mixing between men and women, operating obscene TV channels and serving shisha in closed places,” Sabq daily said.


Gender-mixing is strictly banned in schools, universities and most other places in the oil-rich kingdom.

Saudi religious cops tell women not to use swings

Pic credit: Al Sada

Saudi Arabia’s feared religious police entered a public park in the Gulf Kingdom and told women to stop using swings, an act that drew applause and criticism by viewers of a picture showing the men warning some women at the swings.

The picture went viral on social networks in Saudi Arabia before it was published by newspapers showing two men from the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice warning women against using the swings.

“Some viewers of the picture supported the move by the Commission members on the grounds women using the swing could encourage men to harass or molest them,” the Saudi Arabic language daily ‘ Al Sada’ said.

“Others said they believe the act is not acceptable as it amounted to an unjustified interference and repression of women by the Commission.”

Tailor held for taking woman's sizes in Saudi

Saudi police arrest man after film went viral

Published Thursday, June 18, 2015


Saudi Arabia's religious police arrested an expatriate Asian tailor three days after a film showing him taking the measurements of a local veiled woman triggered public uproar after going viral on social media networks.

The YouTube film, published by Sada and other Saudi newspapers, showed the man was sticking to the woman inside his shop in the Western Saudi town of Makkah as he took measurements of her body.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW_JVT4EXqo
Makkah police spokesman Atti Al Qirshi said the tailor, in his 40s, would be charged with violating local regulations and Islamic values.

Saudi Arabia, one of the most conservative Moslem nations, bans gender-mixing in public places does not allow men to work at women's tailor and lingerie shops.