# Snowmen Anti-Islamic, says cleric **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 12, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625 "2015-01-12T14:32:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/1 "2015-01-12T14:32:05Z")
> **[Yahoo News: Latest and Breaking News, Headlines, Live Updates, and More](https://news.yahoo.com/)** > > The latest news and headlines from Yahoo News. Get breaking news stories and in-depth coverage with videos and photos. > [@](#): > > DUBAI (Reuters) - A prominent Saudi Arabian cleric has whipped up controversy by issuing a religious ruling forbidding the building of snowmen, described them as anti-Islamic. > > Asked on a religious website if it was permissible for fathers to build snowmen for their children after a snowstorm in the country’s north, Sheikh Mohammed Saleh al-Munajjid replied: “It is not permitted to make a statue out of snow, even by way of play and fun.” > > Quoting from Muslim scholars, Sheikh Munajjid argued that to build a snowman was to create an image of a human being, an action considered sinful under the kingdom’s strict interpretation of Sunni Islam. > > “God has given people space to make whatever they want which does not have a soul, including trees, ships, fruits, buildings and so on,” he wrote in his ruling. The people weren’t taking it: > [@](#): > > That provoked swift responses from Twitter users writing in Arabic and identifying themselves with Arab names. > > “They are afraid for their faith of everything … sick minds,” one Twitter user wrote. > > Another posted a photo of a man in formal Arab garb holding the arm of a “snow bride” wearing a bra and lipstick. “The reason for the ban is fear of sedition,” he wrote. > > A third said the country was plagued by two types of people: > > “A people looking for a fatwa (religious ruling) for everything in their lives, and a cleric who wants to interfere in everything in the lives of others through a fatwa,” the user wrote. You wonder if a ban on depicting things in snow would result, as bans on sculpture and paiting, in snow-Kufic Script or snow tessellations. Or maybe just snow-castles. The ban on depicting people and living things doesn’t seem to have resulted in bans on sand sculptures depicting buildings and books: [http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-211253281/stock-photo-sand-sculpture-depicting-the-muslim-tradition-of-eid-or-ramzaan-ramadan-with-mosques-minaret-and.html](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-211253281/stock-photo-sand-sculpture-depicting-the-muslim-tradition-of-eid-or-ramzaan-ramadan-with-mosques-minaret-and.html) At the risk of stereotyping, I suspect that sand sculpture was a more likely medium of popular expression than snow in classically Muslim regions. Although I observe that most of the things in the Mysore Sand Sculpture Museum (from which the above is drawn) are of people and animals: [http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g304553-d6537124-i112442444-Mysore\_Sand\_Sculpture\_Museum-Mysore\_Karnataka.html#112991037](http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g304553-d6537124-i112442444-Mysore_Sand_Sculpture_Museum-Mysore_Karnataka.html#112991037) The First International Persian Gulf Sand Sculpture Festival featured geometric patterns, but also seemed to have animals and people: [http://www.payvand.com/news/08/dec/1242.html](http://www.payvand.com/news/08/dec/1242.html) [http://greenmuseum.org/generic\_content.php?ct\_id=280](http://greenmuseum.org/generic_content.php?ct_id=280) ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/2 "2015-01-12T14:38:56Z")
How do they feel about butter sculptures? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/3 "2015-01-12T16:08:02Z")
AIUI … The point is that \*all \*depictions of people, in whatever medium, are sinful to a hard-core literalist. The mere fact it’s in snow (or butter), and a crude caricature, and temporary doesn’t excuse the fact it’s still a depiction of a person. The idea may be silly to us, but at least the guy’s being consistent. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/4 "2015-01-12T17:40:31Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > How do they feel about butter sculptures? Intolerant. ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/5 "2015-01-12T17:52:55Z")
And if it isn’t circumcised within eight days the rabbi will have a problem with it too. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/6 "2015-01-12T18:01:11Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > How do they feel about butter sculptures? Double Spoiler Boxed per rules… تمسك الإبل كبيرة هناك قد يضر الحمار الخاص بك ، ولكن تمسك تماثيل الزبد هناك تسيء إلى الله . ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/7 "2015-01-12T18:06:27Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > And if it isn’t circumcised within eight days the rabbi will have a problem with it too. Actually you’ll notice that there are no depictions of people (or animals) within a temple, to avoid any hint of idol worship. When we came back from the Congo we brought back a small statue of the Virgin for some Catholic friends. Our quite devout neighbor scratched her nose, because doing so meant there was no respect for the statue and thus no possibility of worship from us. (I was 10, don’t blame me.) I don’t know what the rules are about the Orthodox making statues. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/8 "2015-01-12T18:21:41Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > How do they feel about butter sculptures? Does this butter sculpture make me look fatwa? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/9 "2015-01-12T21:12:46Z")
Does Bart Simpson’s [snowman](http://tstotopix.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/marge-be-not-proud-5.png)count as an image of a human? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/10 "2015-01-12T21:28:31Z")
> [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Double Spoiler Boxed per rules… > > تمسك الإبل كبيرة هناك قد يضر الحمار الخاص بك ، ولكن تمسك تماثيل الزبد هناك تسيء إلى الله . ‘Large camel stuck there may harm your ass, but stuck butter statues there to offend God.’? Can someone put that into English syntax? ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2015, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/11 "2015-01-12T21:33:50Z")
♫ Do you want to build a snowman? ♫ I KEEL YOU Okay byyyeee ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/12 "2015-01-13T01:54:22Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > ‘Large camel stuck there may harm your ass, but stuck butter statues there to offend God.’? > > Can someone put that into English syntax? Oh dear. [My phrase book must be faulty.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akbflkF_1zY) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/13 "2015-01-13T03:16:41Z")
I stand with Frosty! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/14 "2015-01-13T03:55:04Z")
[Lets build a snowman, we can make him our best friend](http://youtu.be/JQ1ZOFNBL68) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/15 "2015-01-13T04:20:43Z")
Just don’t put the hat on Frosty. [spoiler][00x01 The Spirit of Christmas (Jesus vs. Frosty).avi - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxZ0X9fMQZ4&feature=youtube_gdata_player) NSFW. Jesus vs. Frosty, the first cartoon from Matt and Trey, spoilered for obvious reasons.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/16 "2015-01-13T04:21:18Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > ♫ Do you want to build a snowman? ♫ > I KEEL YOU > > Okay byyyeee ok - I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/17 "2015-01-13T16:19:26Z")
> [@MichaelEmouse](#): > > ♫ Do you want to build a snowman? ♫ > I KEEL YOU > > Okay byyyeee Does the snowman like warm hugs? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/18 "2015-01-13T16:23:30Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > How do they feel about butter sculptures? I wonder that, too. Most Christians seem to be okay with [Big Butter Jesus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mf2u9VWAhM) though. But it seems that God wasn’t. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/19 "2015-01-13T16:49:03Z")
I read a blog once of a muslim woman who would take her daughter’s books out to the garage until she could either cut out of black out any image, or even caricature! I’m not sure how that girl will be able to attend school, basically every textbook is haram. For all the non-sense FOX and shit invent, this is one real laughable fundie thing I have never seen them bring up. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625/20 "2015-01-13T17:16:10Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > And if it isn’t circumcised within eight days the rabbi will have a problem with it too. Now now, there are lots of good reasons for postponing a bris, like if the baby isn’t in good health, or if whoever made it forgot to provide it with a snow-shlong. > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I wonder that, too. > > Most Christians seem to be okay with [Big Butter Jesus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mf2u9VWAhM) though. But it seems that God wasn’t. 😉 Sweet Lord, I do not go to enough county fairs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snowmen-anti-islamic-says-cleric/709625.md?page=2)