Ma’alin Hashi Mohammed Farah Hizbul Islam’s representative in Mogadishu gave an ultimatum of mid this month to comply with the order[Garowe Online | Associated Press]
“We are urging Radios to stop broadcasting music within 10 days, the stations that don’t comply with this directive will face consequences,” he told reporters in Mogadishu.
All Mogadishu-based radios will affect this directive. They should change their programming to an Islamic compliant one because we can’t accept listening of music in our country,” he added.
What is the Sharia punishment for playing music? Flogging or stoning? What other punishments are possible under Sharia?
Is there a rationale for forbidding music, other than scripture? Why would Allah not approve? Is it perhaps because musical lyrics are offensive to the religious? If so, would instrumental music be okay? Is the general enjoyment of sounds forbidden? Because it leads to sex? (Recall that Mormons forbid sex, because it leads to dancing.)
How is music defined, anyway? How about poems with rhythm? How about sound-effects from an instrument?
The islamist group is just one vying for political power in Somalia. I'd like to make my pitch as well. I hereby order radio stations in Mogadishu to play only songs by Kim Larsen, or they will face consequences. I give them only one week to comply.
Should they be foolish enough not to restrain their musical selection to Larsen, they will face the consequence of a severe reprimand here on Pleiotropy, and we all know how stigmatizing that can be. It may be the very end of the international favor that Mogadishu radio stations have enjoyed for decades.
Update:
Sadly, Somali Radio Stations Halt Music.
"Recall that Mormons forbid sex, because it leads to dancing."
ReplyDeleteUm...for your information, Mormons both have sex and dance, and they do a lot of both. And I'll be honest, I've had sex a lot of times and it has never led to dancing afterward, so I'm not sure what causal connection you are referring to.
Hi Jim.
ReplyDeleteIs a joke reference. Can't recall where from. I didn't say it was a joke, but, honestly, it's so outrageous that it shouldn't be necessary.
It's not true that mormons forbid either music or dancing. I know, because I used to go to Brigham Young Universtity. They forbid alchohol but have fun holding on-campus dances without any alchohol. You can even take dance classes at BYU, just like any other campus. You can dance free-style to rock music on the BYU campus dances, as long as you dance modestly.
ReplyDeleteThanks for clearing that up. It was of course a joke, and not mine at that. But still a good one.
ReplyDeleteWhat does it mean to dance modestly? No touching? No grinding?