This article, in fact this whole issue, is so pathetic that it is beneath contempt. It is truly shocking that people continue to opine on matters of which they have absolutely no knowledge.
Anyway.
Idiots' Guide to Islam - a "
fatwa" is NOT a death warrant. In fact, it has nothing to do with death unless the case being considered is a capital offence. A "fatwa" is a specifically defined term in Islamic jurisprudence, and in laymen's terms, a "fatwa" is merely a legal ruling, on whatever topic the legal authority is being asked to adjudicate on. So, one could ask for, and receive, if one is so-minded, a fatwa on whether a Muslim is allowed to breach copyright. Or whether it is legal for a Muslim to download pirated songs. And so on (
the 'fatwa' on both these questions, in the view of most renowned Islamic Jurists, is no).
Idiots' Guide to Journalism - a 'story' built-up almost entirely on unnamed sources and spurious quotations has no credibility. Does anyone know who issued this fatwa? What are the contents of this alleged fatwa? Even if such a fatwa exists, in all probability the contents would have been something unremarkable like "
the statements of P J Mir critising Islamic prayer are contrary to well-known Islamic practice".
Idiots' Guide to Jurisprudence - a legal ruling only has validity if issued by a properly qualified body that is recognised and accepted as being able to issue the said ruling. For instance, if Mr. Nick Griffin issues a "High Court" ruling saying that all blacks, Muslims and Jews must be made to leave the UK by this Sunday, that "ruling" would not be considered as legally binding, or even remotely relevant to anyone, since Mr Griffin is not a judge on the High Court. So the first question one should ask, if one is serious about this matter, is this: Whoever issued this fatwa (if indeed such a fatwa exists), are they Islamically qualified to issue a fatwa? Since not many Muslims are...
But anyway, why let silly things like facts distract us, eh?
