Saudi Religious Leader Forbids Building Snowmen

Zain Haidar
Published: January 13,2015






A popular religious leader in Saudi Arabia is stirring controversy after condemning snowmen.
Last week, when a powerful winter storm brought snow to the Middle East, killing two and blanketing several desert regions in a light coat of snow, one Muslim cleric announced he was not pleased with the activities in the wintertime dusting.

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Beautiful! MT @severeweathereu: Rare snow blanket across Saudi Arabia desert near the town of Tabuk.

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(MORE: Middle East Winter Storm Kills At Least Two Syrian Refugees) 
Sheikh Mohammed Saleh al-Munajjid took to a religious website to answer whether it was permissible to build snowmen in accordance with Islamic law, often referred to as Sharia.
The question stems from a long-standing Islamic tradition of avoiding human depictions in art. This condemnation, most regularly supported by Sunni religious leaders like Munajjid, is the main reason Islamic architecture is known for its painstakingly detailed geometric art, as opposed to lifelike representations of living beings.
As Reuters reports, in response to questions from concerned Muslims, Munajjid replied:
"It is not permitted to make a statue out of snow, even by way of play and fun. God has given people space to make whatever they want which does not have a soul, including trees, ships, fruits, buildings and so on."

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When it snows in the desert! Coffee and a snowman in the northern parts of #KSA #Saudi #SaudiArabia via @KSANews

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Munajjid's ruling, or "fatwa," prompted a backlash on Twitter, which originally started with Arabic speakers but has since spread to the rest of the world.
By no means does Munajjid's ruling figure into current law in Saudi Arabia, though. As a cleric, Munajjid has two primary tasks: interpreting the Quran, the Islamic holy text, and the sayings and teachings of the Prophet Mohammed, collectively known as "Hadith."
Within certain parameters, Muslims choose which cleric to follow, much like a Christian might prefer one pastor's style of interpretation and delivery of doctrine.
The bottom line in this case is that strict followers of Munajjid may find themselves at a loss the next time a winter storm passes through the Middle East, but Muslims throughout Saudi Arabia are still allowed to build snowmen.
MORE: Middle East Snow Storm