By Muslims in Uganda have appreciated the directive of their mufti banning use of Quranic verses as ring tones on mobile phones.
Some mobile phone companies in the east African country have started issuing out Quranic verses as ring tones which most Muslims regard as an abuse too their Holy book.
The mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Shaban Ramadan Mubajje, has issued a Fatwa (Islamic legal pronouncement) banning ring tones in which Koranic verses are recited.
In a pronouncement he issued through his spokesman, Hajji Nsereko Mutumba said that Muslims are required to pay attention whenever the Koran is recited.
”If people use the recitation of the Koran as a ringtone ,they interrupt it by either pressing ‘off’ button to reject the call or pressing the ‘yes’ button to answer the call. This is not acceptable, let alone the fact that sometimes the phones ring in places where Quranic recitations are forbidden,” he said.
He quoted Quran 7:204 in which God says,”When the Quran is read, listen to it with attention and hold your peace; that you may receive mercy.”
”Some people’s phones ring in bars,toilets and disco halls where the Quran should not be recited,” said Sheikh Abdul-Salama Mutyaba, one of the Imams in the country, supporting mufti’s banning of Quranic ringtones.
One of the mobile phone companies in the country, Airtel has come out to defend itself. ”We do not have control over ringtones, but will talk to Muslims to see how to help them. We only help subscribers download the tones, but we shall talk to the Muslim leaders on how to help them,” said Phiona Wall, spokesperson for Airtel.
Muslims constitute 30 percent of Uganda’s population of 30 millions. Article 129 of the constitution of Uganda provides for the creation of Sharia or Khadis civil courts .