Some Imams Support Fatwa Against PUBG Game
The Claim
Imams declared a fatwa against Player Unknown's Battlegrounds, which they say encourages idol worship.
News posted on
Emerging story
An article published on MSN said that "idol worship" in the PUBG game angered players in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and that imams declared a fatwa against it.
Misbar’s Analysis
A recent version of video game Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) incited anger across the MENA region over idol worship, which is banned in Islam.
The Mysterious Jungle mode of the game allows players to access new features, including food items, health kits, and hot air balloons. Another feature is totems. In the course of the game, players can gain health and access to desirable items by praying to the totems. This has offended many Muslim players, who view this as idol worship.
Dr. Bassam Al Shatti, Professor of Faith at the College of Sharia, Kuwait University, said: “Video games feature many pros and cons, but PUBG has violated Islamic beliefs regarding prostration and bowing to idols, and this is the greatest sin in Islam, because prostrating and bowing is worship and glorification solely and exclusively to Almighty Allah.”
The Kurdish Union of Islamic Scholars officially declared a fatwa against the game. However, other imams have come out against the ban.
The hashtag “Ihdhifou Lo’bat PUBG” (احذفو لعبة ببجي), or “Uninstall PUBG” in Arabic, has been trending on Twitter, particularly in Kuwait, the UAE, Egypt, Oman, and Jordan. Since the hashtag trended, the game developer Tencent has released a statement saying that they regret offending Muslim players and have removed the totem part of the game.
