Copy That Floppy? Go To Jahannum (Hell)

andrewdm writes "The Business Software Alliance has a new partner: the grand muftis at Al Azhar in Cairo. The New York Law Journal has an article explaining the new holy(?) alliance between the BSA and the highest religious authorities in the Egyptian Sunni Islam sect. The clerics issued a fatwa (holy edict) against piracy, saying it is "the worst type of theft and prohibited by Islam." What's next? The Pope denouncing mp3's as mortal sins?" The worst type of theft, indeed.

Comments

Worse type of theft? Spamming

[strredwolf]

What's worse, the Pope is letting spammers steal from the Vatican -- the Vatican has an open relay, and I wouldn't be suprized that some of the preists are spamming themselves.

Proof? GoogleGroups search of news.admin.net-abuse.sightings for Vatican. Some only reference in the spam message, but you'll find a few relayed through.

BSA shows it's colors

[mikethegeek]

This is not intended as a flame, but as an observation... At a time when the USA is threatened with "holy war" by organized Middle Eastern Islamic terrorists, the BSA induces Sunnite clergy to declare the same thing on copyright infringement?

But then, I consider the BSA a terrorist organization. Terror IS their weapon.

What's next, planes crashing into the homes of people who run LimeWire?

I'm sorry, but this to me is rather like Stalin giving Hitler's genocide policy an endorsement. These same Islamic clergy refuse to unequivocaly condemn the actions of Bin Laden.

Re:BSA shows it's colors

[haledon]

I'm not looking to start a flame war, but as a Sunni Muslim, I have to make a statement here.

First of all, I was born and raised in the US. Of all the Islamic sects, Sunnis are, arguably, the most tolerant. Of Sunnis, I am Hanafi, which is the most tolerant and liberal.

So, in short, I'm as American as anyone else (what ever that means), quite liberal, by American standards, and perhaps even too liberal by Islamic standards.

I think the alliance between the BSA and the clerics is pretty stupid. I won't get into that right now. But comparing this endorsement to Stalin giving Hitler's genocide policy an endorsement is an ignorant blanket statement. (Please note, I am not using ignorant in a derogatory manner. I am using it in the literal sense-- you need more education on the issue.)

I don't think I can count the number of Islamic organizations that have publicly condemned Bin Laden, both in English and in Arabic, both domestically and internationally.

Now, in terms of support against Bin Laden, Egypt has been one of the most supportive countries of US foreign policy. I'd also like to point out it's one of the more liberal countries, as evidenced by the fact that it was the first Arab state to publicly acknowledge Isreal, and one of only two (Jordan, being the other) with formal peace treaties with Isreal.

Also, FYI:
The strangeness as well as the extremity of the New York attacks has been reflected in the strenuous denunciations we have heard from Muslim leaders around the world. For them, this has been a rare moment of unity. Mohammed Tantawi, rector of Cairo's Al-Azhar University, the highest institution of learning in the Sunni world, has bitterly condemned the outrages [9/11 attacks].
source: http://www.islamfortoday.com/murad04.htm

By the way, in case you're wondering, I'm not Egyptian, nor am I even Arabic or Middle Eastern.

So, please, I invite you to make an observation when a stupid decision is made. Whether someone is Islamic, Jewish, Christian, Hindu, or what ever, a stupid press release is a stupid press release. If you're going to make analogies, just please make sure they're accurate.

Feel free to email me directly if you have any questions, or would like any further information. jyamisha@NO_SPAM_PLEASE.hotmail.com

Re:BSA shows it's colors

[Xerithane]

I think we have a new addendum to Godwin's Law now. I mean, come on. Even relating the BSA to a terrorist organization should be enough to nullify your argument, yet you continue on to be more trollish.

Here's an RFC for the addendum:
* Relating any organization (NPO or For-profit) or company to a terrorist group.
* Relating any of that organizations target or practices to plane crash attacks.

OK.. someone who knows islam

[Anonymous Coward]

Someone want to clear up exactly what this means? I don't really know a lot about islam, but i know that depending on who uses it, the word "fatwa" can mean different things. Between:

1. This thing is immoral and wrong, and the church of islam frowns on it. (I.E., the "look, religions usually have associated value + morality systems" meaning)
2. We are declaring holy war on this thing; in heaven, it is abhorred by the Lord and unholy over nigh all else, and on earth, the church is excommunicating those who partake in it; you may not do this, you may not consider this, you may not associate with anyone who does this, you may not associate with anyone you know to associate with other people who associate with other people who do this. (I.E., the "kill salman rushdie or anyone who harbors him" meaning)

So: given the political/religious environment in Egypt, and given the sort of person that the cleric who issued this fatwa, and given the degree of extremism that that form of islam tends to take in Egypt, what does this "Fatwa" mean? If it's closer to the reasonable first, i'm fine with that; there is DEFINITELY an entire spectrum of moral gray areas associated with intellectual property theft, but in the end people do have some sort of right to be compensated for art and technology they have given to their fellow humans. If it's closer to the foaming second, and if they are going to ignore any moral gray areas and take an RIAA party line without considering such things as "what is a DMCA", well, i'm a bit bothered.

anyone know?

- super ugly ultraman

So Muslims will have to convert to Free software

[47PHA60]

Muslims are also not supposed to borrow money with interest, so some in the US have set up 'rent-to-own' companies to help Muslims who abide by this buy houses, cars, and other big-ticket items.

Being so adaptable, I presume good Muslims will just start investigating Free software.

Also, as I read these posts, I see a lot of flames against Islam. I am not a Muslim, but as one who was raised in a Christian church, I can see that many high authorities of Islam are like those of the Catholic and other Christian faiths: business people who live well while telling their followers to 'accept their lot in life,' which can mean poverty, paying $250 for an OS that crashes often, or having too many children because birth control is a sin.

Most of the top religious leaders represent their own interests first, just as the BSA represents the interests of software makers who want to cling to 'shrink-wrap' licensing model, and the RIAA represents those who want to be paid every time you hum a tune to yourself.

One should not automatically equate Islamic leaders' statements with the beliefs of all Muslims. Just as they condone or refuse to condemn some actions we find mighty upsetting, Western religions have condoned and remained silent on some nasty shit over the centuries (like, say, the Nazi war on Jews).

Re:Good works

[Digitalia]

Is Office really overpriced when the whole of the software market is considered? Macromedia Flash is $499.00, Adobe Photoshop is $609.00, and 3ds Max is $3495.00. Hell, Times New Roman, that ubiquitous font, costs $95.99. I fail to see how a quality word processor, a tool as specialized as any of these others, should not cost as much. Furthermore, I can't help but wonder what the response would be if Microsoft sold Office for 30 bucks. Wouldn't they then be criticized for using their monopoly powers to sell their product, at a loss, such that they could further dominate the word processing market?

Re:The Qur'an (c)

[sinserve]

You can't change the Quran in any way or form. Even if you make a translation,
you are required to provide the "ayat" and "sura" numbers.

Muslims belief that the quran as genuine as when God uttered it. But keep in mind
that the Quran itself was put into writing about 20 years (I am guessing, It was written
during the ages of the 3rd Khalifa, Othman Bin Afan) after prophet
Mohamed's death. Before that, it was learnt through memorization. Mohamed (PBUH) himself
did not read or write (he was praised for being the illiterate who could read, and that is
the subject of the first "sura" in the Quran.)

Technically, the Quran hasn't changed since its first writing. There are discrete scriptures
from around 1200 years ago, and they bare the same format as today's. But all the punctuation
was added later, as arabic evolved into a written language and a grammar was developed.

OTOH, the oldest Quran books are not complete and bound. They are missing parts and decayed.
In islamic history, there were times when libraries and Mosques were burnt by the invaders
(the mongolians come to mind) and/or by warring factions. There was a time when the largest
islamic kingdom was not a sunni, as was the case with the "Fatimiyat's" in egypt; so, they
had the power to modify every Quran book in existance, to suit their needs.

The Amirs/Kings of distant Islamic colonies and tribes (away from the central empire) were also
known for misinterpreting and mistranslating the Quran to suit their needs (as was the case in some
parts of Pakistan, Morroco, and many tribes in "black" Africa.)

There you have it. The Quran is believed to be intact, Allah says -I paraphrase- "We sent you the Quran and We are responsible for keeping it".
But then, this Quote itself is from the Quran, and as you have seen, there are many reasons to suspect it undergoing change.

Cynics don't make good worshipers I guess ;-D

Wouldn't a fatwa against terrorism be better?

[canadian_right]

I can't believe the absolute avarice shown by the BSA. They have put it all this effort to have a religious edict regarding software copyright violations when:

• terrorists are bombing innocents weekly
• innocents are starving to death world-wide
• Pakistan and India are on the brink of war
• any number of things more worthy of consideration

This is disgusting. Its like worrying if the icing on your cake is thick enough when you know your neighbor is starving.

Why don't we see more stories about Muslim's that condem violence and terrorism?