A group of Islamic clergy in Saudi Arabia has condemned the letter "X” because of its similarity to a hated banned symbol – the cross.
The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, which has the ultimate say in all legal, civil and governance matters in the kingdom, issued a fatwa, or religious edict, against the "X.” It came in response to a Ministry of Trade query about whether a Saudi businessman could be granted trademark protection for a new service with the English name "Explorer.”
The request from the businessman, Amru Mohammad Faisal, was turned down.
"Experts who examined the English word ‘explorer’ were struck by how suspicious that ‘X’ appeared,” Youssef Ibrahim writes in the New York Sun.
"In a kingdom where Friday preachers routinely refer to Christians as pigs and infidel crusaders, even a twisted cross ranks as an abomination.”
In response to the turndown, Faisal wrote an article that appeared on several Arabian Web sites, sarcastically suggesting that the authorities might consider banning the "plus” sign in mathematics because of its similarity to the cross.
Among the commission’s earlier edicts is the 1974 fatwa declaring that the Earth is flat.
With thanks to NEWSMAX.COM
They may also ban the Dhivehi letter Raa as well as Obofili. They both look so suspicious.
ReplyDeleteWe have been brought up with the concept, that you should never make any negative comments about any arab muslims
ReplyDeleteWe have been brought up with the concept, that you should never make any negative comments about any arab muslims. They back this by a saying “the stage a Arab Muslim might reach by descending, an non arab couldn’t reach that stage by elevating (regarding deeni matters).”
Yes, it is true that you should not despise the Arabs nor talk ill of them. Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) was an Arab. It appears in a Hadith that Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said, ‘Love the Arabs for three reasons; I am an Arab, the Qur’aan is in Arabic, and the language of the people of Jannah is Arabic.’ (Mishkaat vol.2 pg.553)
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best