November 18, 2006
Muslim clerics in India: No Quran verses as cell phone ringtone
Muslim clerics at a leading seminary in India have asked people not to use verses from the Quran as ringtones for their mobile phones, saying the practice violates Islamic law, reports the AP.
"Quran verses "are not meant for entertainment," seminary official Mohammed Asumin Qazmi said Saturday. "Anyone who persists in using these should be ostracized from society," Qazmi said.
...Ringtones with Quran verses or the call to prayers are popular among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state. Many users consider the religious tunes a reminder of their faith."
Previously, an imam at a Mosque in Saudi Arabia issued a fatwa against mobile phones after one rang during prayers on Saturday, playing Arabic pop music.
"The fatwa states that the next time somebody allows their phone to go off in the congregation, the imam could throw the guilty person out of the mosque."
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