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

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: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