Calling a Scholar’s Explanation About Clods for Istinja “Cinema and Film”

Question

A man spoke thus: for example, to take clods [for istinja] is a command of the hadith, but do not take a clod of half a maund or a maund (a unit of weight, ≈ 37 kg) — do not take more than the prescribed amount; so the scholar spoke. Let me clarify: he said it in order to draw people toward the Qur’an and hadith. One of the listeners then said: “Is this a cinema or a film?” — saying it of the honoured scholars, calling it cinema and film. What is the fatwa concerning such a person?

Answer

To set out the ruling about clods in this way is correct, while to call it cinema or film is wrong and should be avoided. However, the speaker did not call the Qur’an and hadith cinema and film; he said it of the manner of presentation adopted for the ruling about clods. Therefore no such severe ruling applies to him as applies to one who insults the Qur’an and hadith.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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