The fatwa by Sheikh Luhaidan that call for the death of TV executives has not received a favorable reception across the Arab world. This Associated Press story notes that even arch-conservative Muslims find Luhaidan’s comments reprehensible and dangerous.

The damage to the reputations of Islam and Saudi Arabia, though, are already done. Islamophobes and Saudi-bashers have had great fun in pointing to the Sheikh’s intemperate and ill-advised comments, viewing his half-step back as wholly inadequate as well. This piece, published here by The Washington Post, will help set the record straight, but it will not, of course, undo the damage. Unfortunately, many ears are closed to Arab and Islamic rationality and tolerance. Given that, it’s far preferable to avoid making outrageous comments in the first place, particularly if many people might take those comments as law.

The article points out that given Luhaidan’s position as a senior cleric-judge, he has great responsibility in getting things right. Unfortunately, he and some fellow clerics—the ones who issue fatawas authorizing the execution of members of the media who publish or broadcast astrology-related materials, or those who use mice as cartoon characters—really have no sense of how badly they damage the image of Islam. I suspect that they don’t really care, as long as their own narrow views are enunciated.

Arabs denounce cleric’s fatwa on ‘immoral’ TV
Donna Abu-Nasr

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Arabs across the ideological spectrum, from secular-minded liberals to Muslim hard-liners, are denouncing a top Saudi cleric’s edict that it was permissible to kill the owners of satellite TV stations that show “immoral” content.

Many expressed worry the recent comments by Sheik Saleh al-Lihedan _ chief of the kingdom’s highest tribunal, the Supreme Judiciary Council _ would fuel terrorism, encouraging attacks on station employees and owners.

The edict, or fatwa, has also focused the spotlight on Saudi Arabia’s legal system because of al-Lihedan’s senior position in the judiciary. The system is run by Islamic cleric-judges, many of them hard-liners, and has increasingly been criticized by some Saudis because of the wide discretion judges have in punishing criminals and the perception that many judges are out of touch with the realities of the world.

Even conservative clerics who agree that Arab satellite networks show too many “indecent” programs said al-Lihedan had gone too far.

“Our religion prevents Muslims from watching films that provide seduction, obscenity and vulgarity,” said Sheik Hazim Awad, an Iraqi cleric, who, like al-Lihedan, is Sunni Muslim.

But “the real Muslim can just cancel (subscriptions to) these channels,” he said.
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