The Middle East's Leading English Language Daily
Sunday 14 September 2008 (14 Ramadan 1429)
Al-Laheedan's remarks on TV programs trigger controversy
Arab News -
JEDDAH: Sheikh Saleh Al-Laheedan, chairman of the Supreme
Judiciary Council, has triggered an international controversy by stating that
owners of satellite TV channels broadcasting obscene programs could face
execution as per the law.
"Those calling for fitna (sedition and immorality) and those
who are able to prevent it but don't, it is permissible to kill them," Al-Watan
Arabic daily quoted Al-Laheedan as saying when asked about owners of satellite
channels telecasting immoral programs during Ramadan.
"It is legitimate to kill those who encourage corruption in
faith and action if their evil cannot be stopped by other penalties," he said.
The head of the Kingdom's judiciary also explained that a
person could be killed not only for murdering another person but also for
corrupting faith and morality.
He urged the owners of Arab channels not to use their media
to broadcast immoral and un-Islamic programs, including those promoting black
magic. They should rather work to protect Islam.
"I want to advise the owners of these channels, who broadcast
programs containing indecency and vulgarity... and I warn them of the serious
consequences," he said. "What does the owner of these networks think, when he
provides seduction, obscenity and vulgarity?"
Al-Laheedan's statement, which he made while talking to
"Noorun Aladdarb" program of Radio Qur'an, created a big row after it was aired
on Arab TV channels and published in newspapers.
Owners of Arab channels have also expressed their concern
over the statement.
Meanwhile, Al-Watan said it tried to contact Al-Laheedan
several times to know the circumstances that led him to give the controversial
statement but the paper claimed that it could not contact him.
During the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims must fast from
dawn to dusk, Arab satellite televisions broadcast lavish productions,
including soap operas and mini-series, some with historical and religious
themes.
A popular soap called "Noor" that was broadcast by MBC for
several weeks preceding Ramadan had also invited wrath of grand mufti, Sheikh
Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh who branded the program "subversive" and "anti-Islamic."
Al-Asheikh, who is the Kingdom's highest religious authority,
earlier this year, issued a fatwa against "Noor" and decreed that any channel
broadcasting the series is "an enemy of God and his Prophet."
"Noor" was a Turkish soap opera dubbed into Arabic with the
story of a handsome man called Mohannad and his equally stunning wife "Noor"
who wrestled to reconcile the conflicting pressures of traditional and modern
worlds.
However, given his position as the country's most senior
judge, Sheikh Al-Laheedan's views cannot be easily dismissed, said BBC Arab
affairs analyst, Magdi Abdelhadi.
"Fighting hardline approach can be difficult when the
country's top judge calls for the beheading of those he views as immoral
broadcasters," the BBC said in a commentary.
Copyright: Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved. Site designed by:
arabix
<<logo.gif>>
<<pixel.gif>>
_______________________________________________ Is-lam mailing list [email protected] http://milis.isnet.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/is-lam
