Saudi mufti warns of 'depravity' of cinema, concerts
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Recording artist Jason
Derulo performs onstage during Teen Choice Awards 2016 at The Forum on July 31,
2016 in Inglewood, California. A Saudi mufti says concerts promote immorality.
PHOTO | AFP
RIYADH
Saudi Arabia's highest-ranking cleric has warned of the
"depravity" of cinemas and music concerts, saying they would corrupt
morals if allowed in the ultra-conservative kingdom.
"We know that singing concerts and cinemas are a
depravity," Grand Mufti Abdulaziz al-Sheikh said in a television interview
cited by Sabq news website late Friday.
The head of the Saudi supreme council of clerics was responding to
a question about the plans of the kingdom's General Authority for Entertainment
to license concerts and study opening cinemas.
He warned that cinemas
"might show movies that are libertine, lewd, immoral and atheist, because
they rely on films imported to change our culture", according to Sabq.
He said there is "no good" in singing concerts,
insisting that music entertainment and opening cinemas represent a "call
for mixing between sexes".
"At the beginning they would assign areas for women, but then
both men and women will end up in one area. This corrupts morals and destroys
values," he said.
However, "entertainment through cultural and scientific media
is okay", he said, urging the authority "not to open doors for
evil".
Developing tourism and entertainment in the desert kingdom is one
of the wide-ranging goals of Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 announced in April.
The entertainment authority has lined up several events, but a
show by American stand-up comedian and actor Mike Epps at a university campus
in western Saudi Arabia was cancelled last month.
In addition to cinemas, the Muslim kingdom bans mixing in public and
alcohol is prohibited.
Women are not allowed to drive and must obtain permits from their
male guardians for several essential activities, including work and travel.
They must also cover from head to toe when in public.
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