Saleh al-Fozan, a member of the Higher Council of Clerics, explained that Islam demands nothing less than death for reading a horoscope — it appears that canceling a subscription is not an option: “Sorcerers who appear on satellite channels who are proven to be sorcerers have committed a great crime … and the Muslim consensus is that the apostate’s punishment is death by the sword.” Furthermore, he wants anyone who calls into the shows to be identified and denied Muslim services: “Those who call in to these shows should not be accorded Muslim rites when they die.” I only wonder if the horoscopes this month mentioned “difficulty in personal relationship and periodic executions.”
Fozan’s colleague on the Higher Council of Clerics, Sheikh Saleh al-Lohaidan called for the death of owners of Arab TV shows. While the world may view Lohaidan as a certifiable nut case, he happens to be the head of Saudi Arabia’s Islamic sharia courts. He has promised “to put to death through the judicial process” television owners who show comedies and soap operas.
One can understand the need for Fozen to close the execution gap by targeting horoscope readers. Lohaidan will now have to execute weathermen who give unIslamic forecasts.
For the full story, click here.