Saudi Grand Mufti says cinema is a tool to distract people from work

Saudi Grand Mufti says cinema is a tool to distract people from work ref: http://www.gulfnews .com/news/ gulf/saudi_ arabia/10298192. html   Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Shaikh Abdul Aziz Alu Al Sheikh said cinema and theatre are against Shariah (Islamic law) as they are tools that distract people from work and efforts to achieve progress.   He was replying to questions about theatrical performance and watching comedies during an interaction with students at King Saud University on Tuesday.   "Theatrical performance, whether it is a cinema or a song, would generally make an impression that is against Shariah. People need only those (art forms) that are useful to them to change their way of life (in an Islamic manner)," he ruled.   It is noteworthy that last year the Grand Mufti had issued an edict against watching Turkish melodramas of "Nour" and "The Last Years", the hottest shows on Arab TV, aired by MBC.   He slammed them as evil and ordered audiences to stop watching them. "They contain so much evil; they destroy people's ethics and are against our values. Any TV station that airs them is against God and His messenger. These are serials of immorality," he noted.   The Grand Mufti replied to questions raised by the university students on a wide variety of contemporary topics and matters. Urging students to refrain from smoking, Shaikh Alu Al Shaikh accused the tobacco companies of giving bribes to doctors to play down the harmful effects of smoking.   "Smoking is really an ordeal, whether it is cigarettes or smoking of Shisha or Ma'asal," he said while drawing attention to the fact that some European countries banned selling them on public streets.   The Grand Mufti advised students to avoid reckless driving especially during early hours. He also warned against playing chess as "it causes a man to lose his wealth and waste his time." Referring to photography he said: "Photography is one of the necessities of life."   "It will be helpful while delivering lectures, carrying out religious activities and even while maintaining public security. Only the photography of sculptures and models is prohibited."   Replying to another question about donating organs of a dead body, Shaikh Alu Al Shaikh said that several scholars have permitted it as it is useful for living beings. However, it is not permissible to take organs before the death of the concerned person.   On the question of accepting remuneration by poets for attending festivals and cultural events, he said that it is permissible if their words are good and faultless. "If there are abusive words or references, then they are not permissible," he said.                   __._,_.___     O Allaah! I ask You for guidance, piety, safety and well-being, and contentment and sufficiency."  (Allaahummaa innee as'alukal-hudaa wat-tuqaa wal-`afaafa wal-ghinaa).  [Related by Muslim, no 2721]