You must have come across astonishing fatwas issued by some or the other religious authority, mostly from Islamic countries. It is more like a scholarly opinion on various matters that people face in their day to day life.

Last year, the world laughed a lot because of fatwas that forbid women from sitting on chairs, the one that allows a husband to eat wife, the fatwa that allows a woman to work with a man only if she breastfeeds him and also the one that bans women from watching football.

This article focuses on certain bizarre Fatwas issued in 2016.

In order to straighten out the wrinkles that may arise in your mind after reading fatwas, I have also written about the justification given by its issuing authority. (Some reasons deserve more mockery than the fatwas)

1> Husband can beat his wife with handkerchief or with a tooth-cleaning twig

“Some husbands use a rod or sharp objects to beat their wife. This is wrong and I am against it. If wife treats her husband in a wrong manner, her husband should beat her with a handkerchief or sewak tooth-cleaning twig to show her that her behavior was wrong,”-said Saudi-based family therapist Khaled Al-Saqaby.

He made this statement in one of his videos that give advice to husbands who wish to beat their wife. He also justified it by saying that wife needs to be taught a lesson if she is wrong.

Before beating, a husband should remind his wife her responsibilities, duties and rights according to the scholar. This reminds me of Miranda warning used by cops in certain countries. I wonder why self proclaimed activist Malala is often silent about such fatwas that promote beating, killing, eating wives.

2> Singing is haram because men and women come together and sing

In May 2016, Madinah (Saudi) based Quba Mosque’s imam made it in the weird news section of several news sites when he claimed that singing is forbidden because it involves men and women working together, and this is haram. He made this statement while interacting with Yasser Amr from MBC Channel.

“Scholars may have a different opinion when it comes to music. But, they all might agree on one point that problem is not with music, it is just with singing.”

Later, he dismissed the controversy by saying that music is not the only or primary problem that country is facing.

3> Chess is like gambling and is illegal in Islam

In January this year, Saudi’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Sheikh made it in the headlines when he issued a fatwa against playing chess. This was surprising because it was issued right on the day before the beginning of Saudi’s chess championship in Mecca.

Critics bizarrely claimed that chess is banned because the king’s crown in most of the chess sets appear a bit too kafir. Bishops in the game are already renamed as ministers in the country.

While justifying his fatwa, the Grand Mufti suggested that chess is just like gambling, and it is illegal in the Muslim world.

As of now, chess is allowed to be played as long as organizers do not advertise and talk much about the tournament.

On being asked regarding his opinion about Mufti’s fatwa on chess, Saudi Chess Association’s President Musa Bin Thaily highlighted the point that the Grand Mufti is an old man, and perhaps he is not aware that people do not gamble on chess in his country.

4> Taking pictures with cats is haram

One of Saudi’s most senior scholars, cleric Saleh bin Fawzan al-Fawzan attracted a lot of attention in May this year when he issued a fatwa against taking a selfie with cats, wolves, dogs, or anyone else.

“People who want to be like westerners often take pictures with cats,”-said the cleric during his TV interview. He justified his statement by saying that taking unnecessary pictures is prohibited in Islam.

(Author’s note: Article is not based on author’s opinion; it is based on news stories released by reputed news websites. Source for every point has been linked with the content)