China's PBC injects liquidity into banking system    Egyptian PM to represent president Al-Sisi at World Economic Forum Meeting in Riyadh    Egypt pushes for inclusive dialogue on financing sustainable development at UN Forum    Tax-free car import initiative to end on Sunday: Minister of Emigration    President Al-Sisi receives heads of Arab parliaments, affirms support for Palestine    Negativity about vaccination on Twitter increases after COVID-19 vaccines become available    US student protests confuse White House, delay assault on Rafah    US economy slows to 1.6% in Q1 of '24 – BEA    EMX appoints Al-Jarawi as deputy chairman    Italy hits Amazon with a €10m fine over anti-competitive practices    Environment Ministry, Haretna Foundation sign protocol for sustainable development    After 200 days of war, our resolve stands unyielding, akin to might of mountains: Abu Ubaida    Swiss freeze on Russian assets dwindles to $6.36b in '23    World Bank pauses $150m funding for Tanzanian tourism project    Amir Karara reflects on 'Beit Al-Rifai' success, aspires for future collaborations    Ministers of Health, Education launch 'Partnership for Healthy Cities' initiative in schools    Amstone Egypt unveils groundbreaking "Hydra B5" Patrol Boat, bolstering domestic defence production    Climate change risks 70% of global workforce – ILO    Prime Minister Madbouly reviews cooperation with South Sudan    Ramses II statue head returns to Egypt after repatriation from Switzerland    Egypt retains top spot in CFA's MENA Research Challenge    Egyptian public, private sectors off on Apr 25 marking Sinai Liberation    EU pledges €3.5b for oceans, environment    Egypt forms supreme committee to revive historic Ahl Al-Bayt Trail    Debt swaps could unlock $100b for climate action    Acts of goodness: Transforming companies, people, communities    President Al-Sisi embarks on new term with pledge for prosperity, democratic evolution    Amal Al Ghad Magazine congratulates President Sisi on new office term    Egypt starts construction of groundwater drinking water stations in South Sudan    Egyptian, Japanese Judo communities celebrate new coach at Tokyo's Embassy in Cairo    Uppingham Cairo and Rafa Nadal Academy Unite to Elevate Sports Education in Egypt with the Introduction of the "Rafa Nadal Tennis Program"    Financial literacy becomes extremely important – EGX official    Euro area annual inflation up to 2.9% – Eurostat    BYD، Brazil's Sigma Lithium JV likely    UNESCO celebrates World Arabic Language Day    Motaz Azaiza mural in Manchester tribute to Palestinian journalists    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Men-women online chatting ban taken out of context: Dar Al-Ifta
Egypt's religious authority says its edict against online chatting between unrelated men and women was misunderstood
Ahram Online Published in Ahram Online on 01 - 09 - 2014

Egypt's Dar Al-Ifta has clarified its recent edict banning online chats between men and women, arguing that the ruling has been unjustifiably generalised.
On Saturday the authority – the country's highest for issuing religious edicts – said that online chats between men and women who are "foreign to each other" are prohibited except in "cases of necessity".
The edict said that online chats between men and women are "frivolous, evil and open the door for the devil".
On Monday, however, Magdi Ashour – secretary of edicts at Dar Al-Ifta and the academic advisor to the Grand Mufti, Egypt's top Islamic cleric – said in a press statement that edicts from his institution can be issued in response to specific cases.
"It is a great scientific and professional error to take this incident out of its special context and generalise it on matters perceived similar without referring to experts," he said.
Ashour asserted that the religious maxim states that the basic guiding principle is "permissibility".
He explained that conversing between men and women is inherently permissible, like in regular human relationships. Matters can be prohibited, not for their essence, but in cases where other factors distort them.
Ashour added that religion is concerned with the person and not the means when it comes to two-sided matters. He used the example of a knife, which he said can be used in beneficial tasks or adversely such as in murder.
The same applies to online chatting which doesn't harm people or society's customs and propriety, he said. But chatting becomes impermissible when it causes "damage to a person's dignity or honour".
Dar Al-Ifta's edict was met with ridicule from some Egyptians on social media.
However, other groups like the Salafist Call, Egypt's largest Salafist group, welcomed the ruling, saying in a statement to private daily newspaper Al-Sharouk on Sunday that it was long overdue.
The Salafist Call's spokesperson Hatem Ali said that banning online chatting between men and women "stops obscenity".
Egyptian internet users exceed 37 million, according to figures from September 2013.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/109730.aspx

Clic here to read the story from its source.