Buzz
Unlike religions with centralized leadership such as the Pope or Dalai Lama, Islam operates without a singular authority. This allows virtually any Muslim scholar to issue a fatwa—a religious decree based on interpretations of the Koran or the hadiths, which are narratives from Prophet Muhammad’s life. In recent times, the number of fatwas has surged, often leading to absurd and laughable outcomes. While many are harmless and routine, some jurists have ventured into truly bizarre territory.
10. Sun and Earth
The Fatwa: Grand Mufti Sheikh Ibn Baaz Declares the Sun Orbits the Earth
In a 2000 Fatwa titled 'The Transmitted and Sensory Proofs of the Rotation of the Sun and Stillness of the Earth,' Saudi Arabian Grand Mufti Sheikh Ibn Baaz claimed that the Earth is flat and disk-shaped, with the sun orbiting around it. He dismissed satellite images proving otherwise as part of a Western conspiracy targeting the Islamic world.
Source: Al-Ahram Weekly Issue 477, 13-19 April, 2000.
9. Satanic Verses
The Fatwa: Ayatollah Khomeini: Authorize Killing Over a Book None of Us Should Read!
In 1988, the release of Salman Rushdie’s novel 'The Satanic Verses' prompted Iranian revolutionary leader Ayatollah Khomeini to issue a fatwa calling for Rushdie’s death, accompanied by a substantial bounty. This decree resulted in numerous attacks on the book’s translators, publishers, and sellers, including the tragic killing of Japanese translator Hitoshi Igarashi. Millions of Muslims globally, many of whom had never read a single word of the book or even encountered Rushdie, demanded his execution. Notably, 24% of Iranians at the time were illiterate.
Source: 'The West Is Choked by Fear', Der Spiegel, Jan 4, 2010, Henryk Broder
8. Tomboys
The Fatwa: Malaysian National Fatwa Council: Fatwa Against Tomboy Behavior
A recent University of Massachusetts study revealed that girls participating in sports exhibit higher self-esteem and are less likely to engage in or stay in abusive relationships. This finding might have unsettled the members of the Malaysia National Fatwa Council. This could explain the near-uproar in Kuala Lumpur when the Sisters in Islam protested against a fatwa targeting tomboys, labeling girls who behaved in ways deemed un-ladylike as transgressors of Islamic principles. Thankfully, the proposed yet unspecified penalties for Malaysian girls wearing t-shirts and jeans have not yet been integrated into Sharia law.
Source: The Malaysian Insider
7. Mickey Mouse
The Fatwa: Muhammad Al-Munajid: Demand for the Elimination of Mickey Mouse
Believe it or not, Mickey Mouse has been targeted. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Munajid, labeling Mickey as 'one of Satan’s soldiers,' declared that all mice, including their animated counterparts, must be 'eliminated in every instance,' as reported by the U.K.’s Daily Telegraph.
Surprisingly, Munajid isn’t just an ordinary extremist—he previously served as a diplomat at the Saudi embassy in Washington D.C. He shared these views on the Arab television network al-Majd TV while explaining Islamic teachings regarding mice.
Rest assured, Mickey isn’t the only one in danger. Munajid also targeted Jerry from 'Tom and Jerry.' Perhaps they could share a flat with Salman Rushdie (mentioned earlier).
Source: Report: Saudi Cleric Says Mickey Mouse ‘Must Die’.
6. Emoticons
The Fatwa: Multaqa Ahl al Hadeeth: Fatwa Against Emoticons
This one almost makes sense. While emoticons can be irritating, are they truly evil? Apparently, for a Muslim forum seeking attention, the answer is yes.
According to the Muslim Internet Forum Multaqa Ahl al Hadeeth, 'Emoticons are prohibited as they imitate Allah’s creations, whether original, mixed, or distorted. Since images represent faces, and faces define the essence of a picture, emoticons depicting facial expressions are considered Haram.' Furthermore, 'A woman should not use these images when communicating with a non-mahram man, as they convey emotions like smiling, laughing, or shyness, which is inappropriate. Women may only interact with men in necessary situations, and only in public chat rooms, not privately.'
Source: Jihadwatch
5. Football
The Fatwa: Fatwa on Football
Even the beloved sport of football isn’t spared from absurd fatwas. As part of a campaign to curb frivolous religious decrees, the Saudi newspaper Al Watan highlighted a genuine fatwa imposing bizarre rules on the game. Among the ludicrous demands were 'do not play with 11 players like heretics, Jews, and Christians,' and 'wear pyjamas or regular clothing instead of numbered jerseys and colored shorts, as they are not considered Muslim attire.' The most outrageous rule was to 'remove the crossbar to avoid imitating non-believers and to completely reject the oppressive international rules of soccer.'
Source: 'A Fatwa on Football', The Guardian, Monday 31 October 2005.
4. Vaccine
The Fatwa: Infidel Vaccine
Polio cases are on the rise in India, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The reason? Anti-Western clerics issued a fatwa prohibiting Pakistani children from receiving polio vaccinations, claiming the vaccine is a Western plot to sterilize Muslims. Ironically, this fatwa could lead to the very outcome they fear, as children who are paralyzed or die from polio cannot reproduce.
Source: 'POLIO ERADICATION: Looking for a Little Luck', Roberts Science, 6 February 2009
3. Nursing Your Baby
The Religious Edict: Ezzat Attiya: Adult Nursing in Professional Settings
In May 2007, Ezzat Attiya pondered the Islamic prohibition of unrelated men and women being alone together and proposed a solution for workplace environments: a woman should breastfeed her male colleague five times. This act, according to Attiya, would establish a maternal bond, thereby allowing them to interact without violating Islamic laws. The suggestion was met with widespread ridicule and criticism, leading to his suspension and a public retraction where he described it as a misinterpretation of a specific scenario.
Source: “A Fatwa Free-for-All In the Islamic World”, New York Times, Michael Slackman, Monday, June 11, 2007.
2. Urine
The Religious Edict: Sheik Ali Gomaa: Fatwa on Urine
Sheikh Ali Gomaa, Egypt’s Grand Mufti, once stated that consuming the urine of Muhammad was considered a significant blessing. This claim raised eyebrows, as Muhammad never asserted his own divinity, leaving many to question the supposed miraculous properties of his urine. The statement faced widespread criticism from Muslim scholars, prompting Gomaa to retract it, clarifying that it was merely his personal viewpoint.
Source: “A Fatwa Free-for-All in the Islamic World”, New York Times, Michael Slackman Published: Monday, June 11, 2007
1. Nudity and Intimacy
The Religious Edict: Rashad Hassan Khalil: Prohibition of Nudity During Marital Relations
In 2007, Rashad Hassan Khalil, the former dean of Islamic law at Al-Azhar University, declared that being nude during marital relations could nullify a marriage. This sparked immediate controversy. Suad Saleh, head of the women’s department at Al-Azhar, advocated for practices that strengthen marital bonds, while Islamic scholar Abdel Muti emphasized that all forms of intimacy are permissible in marriage, except for sodomy. Abdullah Megawar, chairman of Al-Azhar’s fatwa committee, later clarified that while couples could see each other naked, they should ideally use a blanket for modesty during intercourse.
Source: SimplyDumb
