Well, there you have it, after various discussions on the pros and cons of smash-hit mobile game Pokemon GO, it was only a matter of time before somebody here said the game is haram.
That somebody, in this case, is the South Tangerang chapter of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), an Islamic organization responsible for deciding what’s halal (acceptable) and haram (forbidden) for Muslim consumption. And what do you know – Pikachu and pal are somehow haram in their eyes.
“By [Islamic] law, it’s haram. Think about it, what good comes from playing Pokemon GO? Instead we get accidents, people plunging into the sea, and then there are traffic accidents,” said South Tangerang MUI General Secretary Abdul Rojak, as quoted by Tempo today.
Rojak didn’t mention about the hours of fun people gain from the game or how it has encouraged people to go outdoors and explore their neighborhoods or cities, but whatever.
Anyway, South Tangerang MUI has now officially issued a fatwa labeling the game as haram, and urged the central branch of MUI to do the same.
“Right now, the central branch MUI is looking into the game, but have not released an official statement yet,” he said.
Do you agree with South Tangerang’s fatwa? If not, we hear Monas is a great Pokemon GO hunting ground.
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