Fatwa forbids Muslims from 'suicidal' Mars missions (Wow, just noticed that they spelled 'missions' wrongly in the article title, and I cut and paste that into the thread title)

I guess Islam is not the religion of choice, if you like to have freedom of choice. Still, if the risk of 'suicide' involved in missions like the colonisation of Mars (and presumably elsewhere in our solar system), has the effect of keeping Muslims on Earth...

How do Muslims calculate the direction that they pray in, if they're off planet?

I'm not familiar enough with the story, but is the mission going forward with no food or something? Will these people die of starvation within a week?

Otherwise it seems just like life on earth: dangerous, and ultimately something that will kill you.

Yeah.... seems odd. Moving to Mars is probably less dangerous for a Muslim than say, moving to rural Texas. Is that also banned?

Here's a different link:

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/i...=nationgeneral

I think they just view it as too unlikely to be successful to be worth the risk. (Pascal's wager?)

Also:

It seems weird that this would be a piece of theology that they would need to make explicit, but apparently it's something they felt they needed to do.

So if the Russians really did dig into hell, and it is on earth, can you escape it by dying on mars?

Oh the interesting theological questions that are raised!

Space is open for all faiths Especially in Islam where the Quran actually speaks about science and astrology, the mere fact that this is even discussed in the Quran is a miracle.

I cant wait for the day MB creates a Pro Islam thread, Islam is great MB and has so much to offer you in its kindness.

One fatwa, ok so what?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Muslim_astronauts




I commend the astronaut for his human qualities as well


The Quran says education is a top priority, the mere fact that education is even talked about in the Quran is enough to at least suggest education is indeed a top priority in Islam.

That's a really stupid headline you fell for Boosh.

If I can find a preacher to say so, does that mean Christians are forbidden to go to Mars?

As the headline makes clear, this is about a fatwah. To continue your analogy: If your preacher was a legal scholar and judge and spoke to that effect, he would be doing the equivalent of issuing a fatwah.

And yes, under that ruling it would mean that Christians are forbidden from going to Mars. However fatwahs are not universal, so the analogy breaks down at that point - they do however carry actual legal weight so your analogy about the preacher just having an opinion is not good.

groan

Thekid345: Astrology isn't anything to do with science.

Give me a break dude, its common sense that Muhammad played a role in making the Islamic Golden age possible. Muhammad united people and for a good cause.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Golden_Age

Any person can decide if he/she (if training is successful and what not) is going to space regardless of what a Priest, Imam, Fast food worker has to say. Dont get me wrong if someone in North Korea wants to go to space and Kim Jong says no this person will have to leave the country and fly to space with the help of another nation.

One fatwa didnt stop the Muslim astronaut(in the video I posted) from going to space, the man prayed in space as well and the mission was even approved by a delegation of 100 Islamic scholars.

Please read the posts you reply to.

I did read the post.

You discussed a fatwa holding "legal weight". Whos fatwa and how is it not possible for the fatwa to be ignored and or over ruled by another fatwa ?

Even if this fatwa holds "legal weight"(as you stated) then the person who is being effected by the fatwa can go to another country to travel
space.

Edit: It seems like you contradict yourself above because even if a fatwa carries legal weight, it does not extend through the entire world. A /Preist/Rabbi/Imam can have equal influence on a would be astronaut, it doesn't matter if its in "legal terms" or not.

I stated specifically in my post that fatwahs were not universal, but that they still carried legal weight. Feel free to induce from this that you pointing out that fatwas are not universal is not in any way, shape, or form proof of me contradicting myself.

Again: Please read the posts you reply to.

Feel free to assume I will not be civil in my next post if you continue to display illiteracy.

Maybe try "Please reply to the content of the posts you reply to"?

You can reply in any fashion you would like.

Now here is the issue that is glaring us in the face, you literally stated (irt Fatwas) they do however carry actual legal weight


Then you stated that so your analogy about the preacher just having an opinion is not good.

Nonsense, a Priest or Rabbi for that matter, can have great influence on his followers and I can assure you its very possible a would be astronaut could be influenced to not undertake a space mission by a Priest or Rabbi. In the same fashion a Imam can influence a follower to not undertake a space mission.


A Rabbi/Imam/Priest can have equal influence on a follower. "Legal weight" of a religious scholar or even country is simply meaningless to some folks around the world weather they(the followers of a religion or someone living in NK who cant fly because of a ruling by Kim Jong ) want to fly to space or not. So if someone in Saudi Arabia is prevented from going to space by a group of 15 Imams, what in the world is stopping them from going to another country to fly.

Finally Tame, its unclear how much weight you are giving to the specific group of Imams who are preventing the Mars mission. My point is so what, who cares about what a select group of humans are saying irt who can travel to mars and who cant. Now tame I dont care if your going to say "well I cant reply to you because this argument never existed" No sir, tame you literally said irt fatwas

they do however carry actual legal weight so your analogy about the preacher just having an opinion is not good.

You started this whole side conversation with the above comment. Again the facts are regardless of legal weight, a Priest, Rabbi, Imam can have equal influence on a would be astronaut

Ok, I will try AaronW's suggestion: Please read the content of the posts you reply to.

In other threads have you not stated your field as a mental health expert? At times your quite aggressive when you respond to me, dont get me wrong I have said some controversial things to you, but that was in the past.

Nonetheless this is maybe the 3rd post in a row when you have completely ignored my points. I expect more from you.

I'm not a mental health expert and nor have I ever stated this.

Maybe you should read the posts I write?

I previously thought you were a psychologist of some sorts or mental health physician of some sorts, I must be thinking of another RGT poster. But thanks for clearing that up.

In any event I ask nicely that you clarify your comments(seen below) itt w/o reverting me back to a previous post of yours.

they(fatwas) do however carry actual legal weight so your analogy about the preacher just having an opinion is not good.

Of course feel free to respond in any way, its not that big of a deal to me.

Above you state fatwas are not universal(I agree) but that they still carried legal weight(I responded so what if a fatwa carries legal weight, this wont stop a human who wants to fly from entering a different country to go to space)

Again, I fully understand your points itt tame and my response was it doesn't matter if a fatwa carries legal weight. Therefore a Imam, Priest or Rabbi can have equal influence on a astronaut

As the headline makes clear, this is about a fatwah. To continue your analogy: If your preacher was a legal scholar and judge and spoke to that effect, he would be doing the equivalent of issuing a fatwah.

And yes, under that ruling it would mean that Christians are forbidden from going to Mars.

However fatwahs are not universal, so the analogy breaks down at that point - they do however carry actual legal weight so your analogy about the preacher just having an opinion is not good.




-Tame it seemed like Bill was saying a Priest/Imam can have equal influence on a would be astronaut.

But whats to stop Christians (who are issued a ruling from a priest/group of Christians) traveling to a different country to fly? And whats to stop Muslims (who are issued a ruling from a certain Imam/group of Muslims) traveling to a different country to fly.

I am a psychologist, but I'm not a clinical psychologist - I'm a research psychologist. I don't have much education in clinical psychology. My specialty is social psychology.

I always point this out in any debate where my profession has been mentioned, and mental health becomes a subject.

I don't know what more there is to say? A fatwah is legally binding, but it is not universal. This is because Islamic jurisprudence is not like jurisprudence in civil law (most European countries) or common law (US, UK/Commonwealth): There is no principle of precedence and there is precious little tradition for legislation.

A mufti is not a judge like we think of them, but he is not merely a preacher either.

Lotsa hair splitting about an analogy.

Point is, a generalization was being made about Islam being at odds with scientific exploration. That's what makes the Mars thing funny. But it's based on some looney fatwa that is not generalizable. It's like a newspaper in Tehran suggesting the US preacher who just died of snakebite is representative of mainstream Christianity's war against modernity.

The people who invented your maths are not antimodern.

No, that is not splitting hairs. Your analogy was pretty bad.

I don't think the UAE's ministry for Islamic Affairs invented my math, they do however have the power to issue fatwahs on behalf of the state.