This senior Islamic cleric has claimed that Muslims who drink alcohol after sunset “have not invalidated the day’s fast”.
Cleric Ali Gomaa, 68, who was formerly the Grand Mufti of Egypt, made the comments when speaking on Egyptian TV channel CBC about fasting in Ramadan.
The Egyptian cleric said: “The religion forbids transgression – the act [of drinking alcohol] itself is not connected to worship. In other words, the fasting person who breaks their fast with alcohol has not invalidated the day’s fast. What they have done is fallen into sin.
“Does it make any sense to tell someone they can’t fast because they drink? What we should say is that when fasting, do not drink alcohol. We should encourage righteousness, shun evil and avoid judging.”
The comments come as the holy month of Ramadan began yesterday (Thursday) evening, with Muslims abstaining from consuming food and beverages from dawn until dusk.
Gomaa controversial comments come two weeks after he appeared to support a conspiracy theory claiming the expansion of 5G networks is to blame for the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said on Egyptian TV on 10th April that the Spanish Flu of 1918 was caused by “something in the atmosphere when electricity was first introduced, which prepared it for the splitting of these materials, thus creating that virus.”
He added: “When we apply the same theory to coronavirus, we see that the fifth generation of communications might be the cause. This requires contemplation.
“All of our phones are 4G now. For the sake of 4G technology, 20,000 satellites were launched into orbit. In order to introduce 5G technology, which they say will change social relations, they had to launch 100,000 satellites into orbit.
“This caused additional disruptions in the electromagnetic field, which have made the atmosphere hospitable for the spread of these viruses.”
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Alex Cope, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
