Dar-ul-Uloom seminary issues edict, says Quranic ringtones violate Islamic law
Clerics at the Dar-ul-Uloom seminary in Deoband have issued an edict banning the use of Quran verses or Muslim call to prayers as ringtones, saying doing so violates Islamic law.
"Quran verses are not meant for entertainment," seminary official Mohammed Asumin Qazmi said on Saturday. "Anyone who persists in using these should be ostracised from society," Qazmi said from Saharanpur, near Lucknow. Mufti Badru Hasan, a leading cleric in Lucknow, said he whole-heartedly supported a ban on such ringtones.
"One should hear the complete verse of the Quran with a pious mind and in silence. If it is
used as a ringtone, a person is bound to switch on the mobile, thus truncating the verse halfway," he said and added, "This is an un-Islamic act."
Ringtones with Quran verses or the call to prayers are popular among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh.
They are most commonly used by people in their mid 40s and 50s, said Mukesh Sinha, a mobile phone company executive.
Many users consider the religious tunes a reminder of their faith. Bank manager Faiz Siddaqui uses Quran verses as a ringtone.
"Whenever my cell phone rings, I hear these verses that put stress on the values of hard work and honesty, and I feel closer to my religion," Siddaqui said.
