Playing Pokemon Go is officially illegal in Saudi Arabia starting today. The highest cleric body in the country just revived a 2001 fatwa that prohibited playing Pokemon after several calls from public were recorded requesting guidance on the newly augmented reality based game.
Update: Saudi Arabia denies renewing Fatwa on Pokemon
Pokemon Is Like Gambling
The Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta announced on its website that it has just re-published a 2001 edict on Pokemon after huge public demand on guidance whether it should be played or not. The 15 year old fatwa was issued on Pokemon because it promoted the Charles Darwin theory of Evolution.
The Game Also Promotes Polytheism, Shinto Religion of Japan, Christianity, Freemasonry and Global Zionism
According to the religious decree, Pokemon contained elements that are prohibited by Islam such ”Polytheism against God by multiplying the number of deities. And as well as contained symbols that promote the Shinto Religion of Japan, Christianity, Freemasonry and Global Zionism.
The clerics also argued that it was shocking to see the word ‘evolution’ being so commonly used by the children.
Illegal But Still A Hit
Even though Pokemon Go hasn’t been officially released in Saudi Arabia, several people have illegally downloaded the game on their smartphone in hopes of hunting down pokemon in the augmented reality world of the game. But after the revival of the 2001 fatwa against the Pokemon title, there is no telling how the religious police of the country will react when they see someone hunting Pokemon on the road. The country has already banned cinemas and many other entertainment facilities inside the holy city.
The Nature Of How The Game Is Played Could Mean It May Be Banned In Other Countries
Pokemon Go players have to walk in the real world locations in order to find Pokemon. Some of the rarest of these creatures appear in places where people are often banned from using their cameras. Middle Eastern countries have already shown great concern because they fear players may be tempted to use their smartphone cameras in restricted locations like Mosques, Military bases, royal palaces and oil facilities where use of camera is strictly prohibited.
When the game is officially released in Pakistan, do you think we could suffer from a similar restrictions from authorities for playing Pokemon Go?
Even in the United States, the Holocaust Museum has already been restricting players from playing the game inside the museum.
Pokemon Go Isn’t Officially Available in Pakistan, But You Can Still Play it
Impatient to try out the game that has taken the world by storm? Read our post about how you can still play Pokemon Go in Pakistan.