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[ElTorro]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...-game-spreads-enmity-and-hatred-a6825426.html

Saudi Arabia’s highest religious cleric has declared chess “haram”, meaning it is forbidden for Muslims, while claiming the game shows “enmity and hatred”.

Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin-Abdullah al-Sheikh, the Grand Mufti, made the proclamation while taking questions during his weekly television show.

“The game of chess is a waste of time and an opportunity to squander money. It causes enmity and hatred between people,” he said, according to a translation by Middle East Eye.

His fatwa does not constitute a ban in Saudi Arabia as it does not carry the force of law, but it was provoking debate in the country today.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s supreme Shia religious authority, previously issued a fatwa saying chess is forbidden “in all circumstances”, even if a computer rather than real pieces are used and no bets are placed.

Iran banned chess-playing in public and declared it haram after the Islamic Revolution in 1979 but Ayatollah Khomeni repealed the ban nine years later. The game was also proscribed the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Saudi Arabian clerics have previously issued fatwas attempting to ban all-you-can-eat buffets, Pokemon and the building of snowmen.

Tackling the hard and important issues of our time.

 

[brian577]

Might as well ban all forms of competition.

 

[Random17]

He probably fell for the smothered mate.

 

[PirateKing]

Is fun banned there?

 

[ElTorro]

Is fun banned there?

I am waiting for somebody to issue a fatwa to ban NeoGAF.

 

[anonymous_abc]

I am waiting for somebody to issue a fatwa to ban NeoGAF.

Is NeoGAF fun?

 

[Lagamorph]

Uhhhh....

 

[Skelter]

Pokemon?! I'm gonna Tyranitar his ass.

 

[Loomba]

Guessing he lost a match and is salty to the maximum

 

[norinrad]

Is he going to ban people from listening to him? That should be next on his list.

 

[Bold One]

should have banned monopoly

 

[vikki]

Someone is taking the loss rather hard.

 

[Slayer-33]

Absolute haram? Absolute haram.

 

[Se7enSword]

He got checkmated so hard, huh?

 

[Zomba13]

 

[DXB-KNIGHT]

Sigh.
His statement is creating controversy, there are scholars who is currently challenging his claim.
Good that he doesn't have an authority to implement that given that Saudi Arabia is not a theocracy otherwise you would see

 

[Branduil]

What happens if someone declares a fatwa on people who declare fatwas?

 

[marzlapin]

I can think of something else that causes enmity and hatred between people.

 

[Yagharek]

He got checkmated so hard, huh?

Fools mate I presume.

 

[Marauder Shields]

Isn't he technically correct in that things that are a waste of time are considered haram?

 

[Shaanyboi]

Did he really not know that you could switch your queen and rook like that?

 

[ElTorro]

Is NeoGAF fun?

Well, they already banned Pokémon and all-you-can-eat buffets. Arguing by analogy, that would make 95% of NeoGAF content illegal.

 

[Duji]

You know what actually creates enmity and hatred between people?

Pushing this whole bullshit sectarianist idea by drawing arbitrary lines between people. Sunni, Shia- who gives a fuck? It's why the ME will never see peace; so long as one side hates the other for imaginary reasons.

 

[soqquatto]

Saudi Arabian clerics have previously issued fatwas attempting to ban all-you-can-eat buffets, Pokemon and the building of snowmen.

I can imagine that building a snowman in Saudi Arabia can really be an issue.

 

[dabig2]

I can think of something else that causes enmity and hatred between people.

checkers?

 

[Shaanyboi]

I can think of something else that causes enmity and hatred between people.

Settlers of Catan

 

[ElTorro]

Wonder what would happen if somebody showed him Mario Kart and the Blue Shell.

 

[Volimar]

Better ban Monopoly. That shit tears families apart.

 

[thetrin]

What's the end goal here? To make everyone fucking miserable?

 

[ZiZ]

Fatwas are non-binding it is literally nothing more than an old man's opinion.

 

[Volimar]

Fatwas are non-binding it is literally nothing more than an old man's opinion.

Till a group of true believers beat the shit out of you for doing it.

 

[King_Moc]

What's the end goal here? To make everyone fucking miserable?

Well, yeah. Anything that's a waste of time is haram apparently. I assume that includes fun.

 

[BudokaiMR2]

Isn't he technically correct in that things that are a waste of time are considered haram?

When WW3 arrives and our generals kicks their ass because of a superior grasp of tactics and strategy he will be ashamed of his words and deeds.

 

[xChildOfHatex]

should have banned monopoly

Yeah, this right here is the correct answer. Monopoly is where friendships go to die.

 

[thetrin]

Well, yeah. Anything that's a waste of time is haram apparently. I assume that includes fun.

I just don't get what anyone gains by banning all this shit.

 

[ElTorro]

I just don't get what anyone gains by banning all this shit.

I don't think that they really care about real-world consequences. It's more like advanced obsessive fan-fiction, like "Can Superman bend a bar of Adamantium?" Only that the subject matter here is religious law instead of comics. They are probably simply happy when they can deduce yet another bullshit rule from the official canon.

 

[SiegfriedFM]

Isn't he technically correct in that things that are a waste of time are considered haram?

All forms of art and entertainment are by definition a waste of time.

 

[ponpo]

Is rhythm gaming halal?

 

[GnawtyDog]

One of the best, most safe games out there? Loved being part of a chess club when I was a teen in HC.

 

[DiipuSurotu]

 

[War Peaceman]

Not surprising they'd ban a game where a queen is the most powerful piece.

 

[Alx]

Tell me about a sore loser... If you suck at the game, don't ruin it for everybody else !

 

[marzlapin]

Settlers of Catan

And Monopoly.

 

[RionaaM]

Snowmen? Wow, guess that Disney's Frozen is a subversive movie then.

 

[Mista Koo]

I can imagine that building a snowman in Saudi Arabia can really be an issue.

Isn't he technically correct in that things that are a waste of time are considered haram?

No.

 

[Monkey_Plunkett]

The Grand Mufti

 

[Androidsleeps]

Waste of time and an opportunity to squander money that causes enmity and hatred between people? Sounds like a description of religion.

 

[Chuckie]

All forms of art and entertainment are by definition a waste of time.

Everything is a waste of time, including religion.

 

[PsychBat!]

"Checkmate"

 

[Despera]

Most people nowadays don't give a rat's ass about these petty fatwas though. But back in the day, even a little over a decade ago, things were different.

I remember back when I was in school when they issued the fatwa banning Pokemon (everything from the cartoons to the card games), and these were the reasons:

1- Pokemon was distracting the youth from their daily prayers and wasting their time in useless activity.

2- It promoted the theory of evolution, which is a zionist scheme.

3- Pokemon names had blasphemous meanings when translated. Examples:

Pikachu meant "Become a jew"
Pokemon meant "I'm a jew"
Charmander meant "Allah is weak"

Anyone with a basic knowledge of the English language would laugh at these, but since the majority lacked that basic knowledge Pokemon quickly faded into oblivion. The cartoon stopped airing on almost all Arabic channels, the Pokemon gift items and toys were scrapped and discontinued, teachers conducted regular searches to confiscate Pokemon items in students' posession and anyone seen with anything related to Pokemon would be looked down upon.

The fatwa banning Pokemon was never recognized as an official decree however, but the intial statement was enough to scare off the public.

Those were dark times, but definitely not the darkest or the most absurd.